GPS on Mars?

Roland Piquepaille writes "SPACE.com published two days ago an article named "Red Planet Wayfinder: A GPS System for Mars." You'll read that NASA researchers are studying a 'global positioning satellite (GPS) system around Mars that could also function as a communications network.' This would imply 'a constellation of microsatellites, or Microsats, and one or more relatively large Mars Aerostationary Relay Satellites, or MARSats,' according to the Mars Network website at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). This sounds like a neat idea, but there are several issues here. First, the JPL site mentioned above has not been updated since 1999. Then, there is no mention of such a mission at NASA's Mars exploration program website. So, here is my question: is this a recycled 4-year old article? In this overview, you'll find some spectacular images and more indications leading to think that the article was written in 2000. And please note that a Slashdot reader asked last December 'Whatever Happened To The Mars Network?' without receiving an adequate answer."

Comments

Well..

[paranode]

I, for one, certainly do NOT welcome our Earthling satellite overlords.

-Marvin

Re:Well..

[cccpkgb]

is this a recycled 4-year old article?

You must be new here.

Re:My Only Hope

[TwistedSquare]

I reckon we will find a giant face, and it will turn out to the home of the sectoids, and it turns out they created us and influenced our evolution, but then we shoot the eye thing and win the war, until 40 years later they come back in an underwater form. What do you reckon? What odds am I offered?

If I accidentally get lost on Mars

[Anonymous Coward]

I think I'll have bigger things to worry about than where I am. Things like breathing and keeping warm come to mind.

Re:If I accidentally get lost on Mars

[JollyGreenLlama]

It's good to know that when I'm driving around Mars in my Ford Explorer with OnStar that I'll easily be able to make my way from Red Boulder #007994 to Red Boulder #008515 without getting lost.

resoultion

[MrLint]

I wonder if they are going to use the same variable accuracy system like here on earth. we wouldn't want anyone to accurately attack utopia planita :).

Mars Galileo

[amightywind]

I think I would be a waste of money for NASA to build a Mars GPS. The Europeans would not be satisfied with it and would want to build their own.

A Good Step

[dykofone]

I for one view this as an excellent step in the right direction. I hope to see such features added as DirecTV and XM Radio to further along this budding consumer market.

Oh, wait, GPS is more than just a fancy toy?!

what a waste!

[Anonymous Coward]

Yet another daring spaceproject just to make space availible for rich people who could spend their money on better things! This will never lead to anything good. We have problems down here to take care of first. We should solve ALL our problems before even thinking of going into space! Space is a waste of our taxmoney! We should not only stay where we are, indeed, we should strive to turn the clock back! I want to live in a cave and eat raw fish.

Ah crap!

[NanoGator]

My Mars GPS is measured in AUs!

Re:Robinson called it "APS" (mildly OT)

[NanoGator]

"Just thought we should get our TLAs (Three Letter Acronyms) straight."

Oh STF...

find those little speeding rovers!

[peter303]

At a velocity of ten meters per hour, do we really need a GPS to avoid losing the rovers?

Re:hum

[IsaacW]

we now have 4 points to work with, so we can get our 3d postion in the solar system

Well, that could work... at least until Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars are all perfectly in a line, at which time not only does your SSPS receiver start giving you junk coordinates, but you simultaneously win the lottery, get promoted to CEO of your company, and finally catch the eye of both the Olsen twins!

That last part's only if your birthday is in September though...

Dibs!

[pbemfun]

I call dibs on the first geocache on Mars!