Re: GPS

On Sun, 12 May 2002 18:01:09 -0400, "Thomas Barclay" <kaladorn@magma.ca>
wrote:

>I would think by 2183, based on some current 
>satellite sizes, a GPS constellation which would 
>offer decent coverage to most of the planet for 
>a period of months to a year could be 
>deployed using semi-disposable satellites that 
>are about the size of a small desk with their 
>antennae arrays folded (or motorcycle). 

I would think that by 2183 it would be possible to put together a
sufficiently
sensitive and accurate device to let you know your precise location that
GPS
wouldn't be necessary. It would have to be able to detect its motion in
all
three directions, not emit a signal that could be detected by sensing
gear,
and be small enough to carry in the palm of a hand. While such a device
would
be difficult to build now, I suspect it won't in 180 years, making the
satellite based GPS unnecessary. 

On the other hand, if you are doing extensive operations on a planet
you'd
probably need some sort of communications network in orbit, at which
case
TomB's idea of a GPS network would be accurate.

Allan Goodall		       agoodall@hyperbear.com
http://www.hyperbear.com

"At long last, the earthy soil of the typical, 
unimaginable mortician was revealed!"