The Global Positioning System faces the possibility of failures and blackouts, a federal watchdog agency has warned the U.S. Congress. Mismanagement by and underinvestment by the U.S. Air Force places the GPS at risk of failure in 2010 and beyond. The problem: Delays in launching replacement satellites, among other things.

According to the Government Accountability Office report, "In recent years, the Air Force has struggled to successfully build GPS satellites within cost and schedule goals" as part of a $2 billion modernization program.

"If the Air Force does not meet its schedule goals for development of GPS IIIA satellites, there will be an increased likelihood that in 2010, as old satellites begin to fail, the overall GPS constellation will fall below the number of satellites required to provide the level of GPS service that the U.S. government commits to."

Considered by the GAO to be "essential to national security" the GPS is also widely used by business and consumers and is a driver for next-generation location-based mobile applications used with smartphones and other devices.

SALT LAKE CITY-May 18, 2009

The 2009 Rev3 Geocaching Challenge features a series of 60 individualized Travel Bugs, trackable tags that will make their way to new geocaches across the United States. Ambitious cachers will benefit from free Rev3 swag just for entering the Rev3 geocaching contest at www.drinkrev3.com/contests. All participants will also be entered into a grand prize drawing for a $3,000 REI® gift card.

"We are very excited about this contest and look forward to seeing all of our Rev3 Travel Bugs trek from coast to coast, spreading the Rev3 message," said USANA CEO Dave Wentz. "We want participants to have fun with this contest as well as have the opportunity to try Rev3 for themselves, which is why we're offering free product to every geocacher."