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> Life as we know it today does not exist without satellites. Pilots and ship captains will have to navigate the old fashioned way, and I could be wrong but I

> Life as we know it today does not exist without satellites. Pilots and ship captains will have to navigate the old fashioned way, and I could be wrong but I believe radio is still the default for communications, weather reports etc. so i’m curious what i’m missing besides Google Maps not holding my hand to the grocery store. an economic impact surely, but life as we know it?

barbegal 5y ago
Satellites give better performance but there is no reason why a ground based system can't work just as well. LORAN gave accuracy to a hundred metres or so across a good portion of the globe https://timeandnavigation.si.edu/navigating-air/navigation-at-war/new-era-in-time-and-navigation/loran https://timeandnavigation.si.edu/navigating-air/navigation-a... Most location services on a phone are performed using WiFi and cellular data rather than GPS except in remote areas. With modern technology an array of autonomous radio transmitter buoys could give the same accuracy as GPS.
_moof 5y ago
Indeed. I'm perfectly fine with VOR/DME/ILS in the air and a sextant at sea. It's an irresponsible captain that can't navigate without GPS.
- yread 5y ago
  We don't need to go all the way back to sextant. We have radar, sonar and radio beacons. It would lead to more shipwrecks though as not all the places in the world have enough buoys or good charts
- williamtrask 5y ago
  Or a captain in cloudy weather
MisterBiggs 5y ago
Agriculture is heavily reliant tons of satellite data that couldn't be gathered otherwise. Logistics would suffer at least on the short term but I'm sure ground based technology would be sufficient in the long run. As long as your in a populated area your phone would know where you are. Hundreds of millions of people rely on satellite internet for income, education, entertainment, social life. The world wouldn't end but it would definitely be worse.
- jazzyjackson 5y ago
  Yes agreed, Agriculture is very data-reliant nowadays, hadn't thought of that.

barbegal 5y ago

Satellites give better performance but there is no reason why a ground based system can't work just as well. LORAN gave accuracy to a hundred metres or so across a good portion of the globe https://timeandnavigation.si.edu/navigating-air/navigation-at-war/new-era-in-time-and-navigation/loran https://timeandnavigation.si.edu/navigating-air/navigation-a... Most location services on a phone are performed using WiFi and cellular data rather than GPS except in remote areas. With modern technology an array of autonomous radio transmitter buoys could give the same accuracy as GPS.

_moof 5y ago

Indeed. I'm perfectly fine with VOR/DME/ILS in the air and a sextant at sea. It's an irresponsible captain that can't navigate without GPS.

yread 5y ago
We don't need to go all the way back to sextant. We have radar, sonar and radio beacons. It would lead to more shipwrecks though as not all the places in the world have enough buoys or good charts
williamtrask 5y ago
Or a captain in cloudy weather

MisterBiggs 5y ago

Agriculture is heavily reliant tons of satellite data that couldn't be gathered otherwise. Logistics would suffer at least on the short term but I'm sure ground based technology would be sufficient in the long run. As long as your in a populated area your phone would know where you are. Hundreds of millions of people rely on satellite internet for income, education, entertainment, social life. The world wouldn't end but it would definitely be worse.

jazzyjackson 5y ago
Yes agreed, Agriculture is very data-reliant nowadays, hadn't thought of that.