Post #4256819

Replies (1)

• @taedryn@anarres.family 2026-07-30 23:07

  @jiub@not.an.evilcyberhacker.net I mean, conceptually, yeah, I'll enjoy watching their hubris burn. But realistically, it'll be a catastrophe as society moves further and further into complete dependence on satellite-based systems. We keep turning off ground-based services like VORs for airplanes which mean that when KS happens, the vast majority of airplane traffic will just... stop. Most delivery vehicles use GPS-based navigation and tracking. Many private drivers are functionally incapable of navigating without GPS-based maps. There are internet and communication links that are impossible without satellites, which will cut off small communities all over the world. There are obviously alternatives, but they've all fallen out of favor, and will be difficult or impossible to resurrect on a short timescale. No one still owns a Thomas Guide (popular detailed road map in the US, for those who don't know the name). Visual navigation for commercial flights isn't possible or legal, or they'll have to fly below 18k feet, which would increase fuel costs some massive amount, 100% or 200% or something (depends on the plane). Vast networks of computers depend on GPS signals for timekeeping, which has follow-on effects that could disrupt every municipal system everywhere, cutting everyone off from clean water, power, fuel, food, etc. No one seems to be working towards backup systems for satellites that could go out of service (or if they are, they're being quiet about it -- this is admittedly not something I've looked into). I also want to watch the world burn a bit, but KS would be a worldwide population-altering event, and not in a fun way.

  Open ##4256817