I think I see what he's saying. Those satellites are moving at a fixed velocity. So the time dialation effect on them relative to the ground should be static.
It could reasonably be the case that we just adjusted the clocks on the satellites by .05% or whatever the drift rate is by measuring them against known points until we get it right. Good enough engineering.
Eventually someone would have asked some scientists to explain why it's happening.
> I think I see what he's saying. Those satellites are moving at a fixed velocity. So the time dialation effect on them relative to the ground should be static.
The issue you have is that the dilation effects aren't static, they're all relative to each satellite and ground observer and are constantly shifting based on the orbits. Basically the premise you have to accept to allow for "just adjust the clocks" is too basic. This is why both general and special relativity come into play in GPS. You might get away with adjusting for a single observer, but not all observers.
Note that we already have the clocks purposefully skewed to account timewise for their orbital speed and still require constant updates. I just don't see that happening through "good enough engineering". If you're a nanosecond off you're off by over 1 kilometer and things get worse from there.
Plausible as a hypothetical gedanken experiment? I suppose, plausible in reality? I'm skeptical that you'd be able to do it. Would be akin to launching a rocket to the moon without understanding how to fly.
It could reasonably be the case that we just adjusted the clocks on the satellites by .05% or whatever the drift rate is by measuring them against known points until we get it right. Good enough engineering.
Eventually someone would have asked some scientists to explain why it's happening.