THE MANY FACES OF TRANSIT

T. A. Stansell, Jr.

Peer Reviewed

Abstract:	In January of this year (19771, Transit, the Navy Navigation Satellite System, became a teenager. Since the beginning of 1964, it has provided accurate, worldwide position fix information without an interruption of service, not even once. This is a remarkable achievement, and yet no one held a birthday party to celebrate. Minimal press coverage and an apparent lack of interest in Transit are symptoms of a problem which may require “medical” attention. After a brief description of the system for those not familiar with the patient, we will explore its symptoms. A diagnosis of “split personality” will be made, followed by an investigation of the patient’s vital signs and general health. Finally, a prescription will be written and a prognosis for the future will be given. Though the approach may seem humorous, I plan to show that the Transit System is healthy, vigorous, and growing in spite of some obvious problems. Furthermore, proposals will be made to alleviate existing problems so that even more vigorous growth can occur. As an active teenager, Transit will have a long and effective life before approaching the age of retirement.
Published in:	NAVIGATION: Journal of the Institute of Navigation, Volume 25, Number 1
Pages:	55 - 70
Cite this article:	Stansell, T. A., Jr.,, "THE MANY FACES OF TRANSIT", NAVIGATION: Journal of The Institute of Navigation, Vol. 25, No. 1, Spring 1978, pp. 55-70.
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