Re: Yes, yes, but
Thanks for the most excellent comment. Agreed. Except that it's good to have more positioning satellites in orbit period. For several years consumer receivers such as the Samsung Galaxy have been able to use GPS and Glosnas for a position fix.
My comment was originally going to be the proliferation of GPS systems merely means more targets for the USA to hit if there's ever a serious conflict.
Old hardware in space is fun. Nasa's Deep Space Network is still out there doing a ton of useful work. Remember the Iridium bankruptcy? A fleet of dozens of satellites in orbit shutdown waiting for one guy with the keys to reactivate it. The Iridium network sold for $10 million USD. Admittedly to a USA approved company as our Nuke subs were using it for coms. Wouldn't it have been amazing though to own a satellite constellation for only $10 million USD? If I had a billion dollars I simply couldn't say no to that. One day I hope to make it to orbit myself.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
