Aeronautics and Space Engineering Board
Commission on Engineering and Technical Systems
National Research Council

Committee on the Future of the Global Positioning System

STATEMENT OF TASK

The primary objective is to conduct a study of the future of the Department of Defense's Navstar Global Positioning System (GPS). The study, which was requested through the Fiscal Year 1994 National Defense Authorization Act will be conducted jointly by the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) and the National Academy of Public Administration (NAPA). The NAPA portion of the study will focus on issues such as management and international participation and the NAS portion of the study will address issues such as future technical improvements and augmentations to enhance military, civilian, and commercial use of the system in the context of national security considerations.

The committee will accomplish the NAS portion of the study by examining the following issues:

  1. In order to preserve and promote U.S. industry leadership in this field, how can communication, navigation, and computing technology be integrated to support and enhance the utility of GPS in all transportation sectors, in scientific and engineering applications beyond transportation, and in other civilian applications identified by the study in the context of national security considerations?
  2. What augmentations and technical improvements to the GPS itself are feasible and could enhance military, civilian, and commercial use of the system?
  3. Based on presentations by the DoD and the intelligence community on threats, countermeasures, and safeguards, what are the implications of such security-related safeguards and countermeasures for the various classes of civilian GPS users and for future management of GPS? In addition, are the selective availability and anti-spoofing capabilities of the GPS system meeting their intended purpose?

The committee will prepare a report that presents, through coherent arguments and supporting data, its analysis of each issue to be addressed, options for dealing with each issue, and the committee's recommendations. The report will be subject to the usual NRC peer review procedures.