There are various artificial satellites distributed around the earth. The total number is about 4,800, most of which are launched by the United States. So many satellites perform their own duties. Some can provide people with reliable weather forecasts, some can efficiently and accurately transmit information between users, and some can provide precise positioning and navigation for global users. Human travel and logistics transportation have long been inseparable from navigation satellite .
At present, there are four major satellite navigation systems in the world. are the American GPS, the European Galileo satellite navigation system , the Russian GLONASS satellite navigation system and the Chinese Beidou satellite navigation system . As the earliest satellite positioning and navigation system put into use in the world, GPS has users all over the world due to its high reliability. It is also the satellite navigation system with the largest number of users at present.
The impact of US GPS on the world
US GPS is essentially a dual-use satellite navigation system, which can provide accurate real-time positioning and navigation services to global users around the clock in both civilian and military fields. Starting from the launch of the development plan in the 1970s, it took the United States more than 20 years to successfully establish a comprehensive network in 1994. During this period, the total cost was 30 billion US dollars, and a total of 24 navigation satellites were launched in orbit, with a global coverage rate of 98%.
GPS has been highly praised by major users around the world during the process of being put into use. Mobile phone positioning services in many countries are tightly tied to GPS. In addition, GPS has greater reuse in the field of car navigation and logistics and transportation, and can guide cars and cargo ships towards their destinations at any time. Although other countries have also developed satellite navigation systems, progress has been relatively slow, resulting in the United States' long-term monopoly on the global satellite navigation and positioning market, reaping tens of billions of dollars in economic benefits every year.
After the global navigation and positioning market is monopolized by the United States, the United States can manipulate GPS to benefit itself. This forces countries that rely heavily on U.S. GPS to act according to the face of the United States, otherwise the United States may shut down the GPS signal in the region. When the GPS signal is turned off, traffic jams will occur, logistics and transportation will come to a standstill, and maritime shipping will lose its direction.
Many countries around the world are highly dependent on GPS not only in the civilian field, but also in the military field. Many precision-guided weapons require GPS to provide them with intense positioning services in order to function on the battlefield. In this way, this shows that other countries' precise positioning strike forces are actually in the hands of the United States. As long as the United States turns off the GPS signal, these precision-guided weapons will lose their combat capabilities.
If the United States turns off the GPS signal, it will inevitably make countries that rely on the United States GPS helpless. If the United States shuts down all GPS signals covering the world, will all missiles around the world be paralyzed? Russia said that there is one country that will not be affected by the US GPS, but it is not us, and this exception is China.
The Beidou Navigation System was born
Before the new century, our country had not yet made any achievements in satellite navigation systems. It mainly relied on the US GPS to complete positioning and navigation services, which seemed to be somewhat controlled by others in both the civilian and military fields. In order to get rid of its dependence on GPS, our country has also stepped up the establishment of the Beidou navigation system. After three stages of development, the Beidou navigation system has begun to provide services to the world in July 2020.
It is reported that more than 130 countries in the world have launched in-depth cooperation with the Beidou navigation system, providing high-precision positioning, navigation and timing services to all types of users around the clock. Moreover, the Beidou navigation system has short message capabilities. When this function is successfully applied to mobile phones, the mobile phones can send and receive information and pictures to each other through Beidou system without a communication network, which is not available in GPS. of.
When mobile phones with this function fully cover the mobile phone market, it will effectively protect the life and property safety of user groups in aspects such as emergency rescue and disaster relief, transportation and public safety.It is worth mentioning that the short message communication function has been tested on ordinary smartphones, and the day when services can be provided to the public through mobile phones is just around the corner.
In terms of positioning accuracy, the measured global positioning accuracy of the Beidou-3 system is better than 4.4 meters , which is comparable to the US GPS. Compared with GPS satellites operating in orbit, Beidou consists of fifty-five navigation satellites, with more accurate navigation and positioning and better performance in the Asia-Pacific region. The Beidou system, which has been put into global service, plays an even more obvious role in the military field. It is the sharpest "eye" for various precision-guided weapons.
By using the Beidou navigation system, the informatization level of the troops has generally improved. Each unit can accurately report its position in real time, which is more conducive to the command center's dispatch and deployment. Various weapons using satellite guidance can hit targets accurately. Today, China's Beidou system's global services are going smoothly, and we have got rid of our dependence on the American GPS.
Even if the United States turns off the GPS signal to China, China's application in the military field will not be affected at all , and it can ensure that satellite-guided weapons join the battle at any time. Some people are worried about how to solve the problem if the Beidou system is interfered with, and the missile will still lose its attack direction. As early as the beginning of designing the Beidou navigation system, scientific researchers took into account the anti-interference ability of the Beidou system, so it is difficult to interfere with the Beidou system.
If the other party attempts to interfere with the function of its guided weapon by destroying Beidou navigation satellites, this will also be very difficult. After all, modern weapons are not capable of destroying satellites. Moreover, there are many satellites in the Beidou system, so it is unlikely that they will be destroyed in large areas. For example, the United States' GPS only has 24 satellites. It is more likely to lose its positioning and navigation capabilities after being destroyed, causing its satellite-guided weapons to lose direction.
Russia's satellite navigation system
Russia also has its own satellite navigation and positioning system, the GLONASS system. This satellite system was developed during the Soviet period. After the disintegration of the Soviet Union, was taken over by Russia to continue development. was completed. Deployed on the first generation GLONASS system. Subsequently, due to the economic recession, the maintenance and construction of the GLONASS system was reduced, resulting in Russia's satellite positioning and navigation system being able to provide fewer services to the world.
Compared with the American GPS, there is still a big gap between the GLONASS system. The anti-interference ability of is not very strong and , so Russia is also using the services provided by the American GPS in some aspects, which makes Russia especially Worry about corresponding sanctions. Therefore, Russia is also actively contacting China's Beidou navigation system to cope with the possible serious consequences after the United States "kicks Russia out of the GPS service system."
