GPS technology has improved operations in many industries including aviation, environmental sciences, marine, road and railroads, and surveying. Countless activities like the plowing of farm fields, banking and even the management of electricity power grids, are enhanced by the accurate information provided by GPS. Aircraft pilots, surveyors, boaters and countless others perform their work more efficiently and safely using GPS.
The global positioning system is owned and controlled by the USA. It was designed to generate navigation and positioning as well as timing information to civilians, governments, businesses and various military users continuously and at no charge. Owners of a GPS receiver device can receive data transmitted to earth by GPS satellites. The system breaks-down into three elements.
First, satellites orbiting the earth. Second, control bases on earth. Third, GPS devices owned by the users. Both the orbiting satellites and the earth-based control stations are operated by the USA Air Force.
The GPS originally started operating with 24 satellites in orbit but now has up to 32 in operation at any one time. The bigger the number of operating satellites the better is the accuracy and reliability of the system. Each satellite is purposefully positioned about 12,000 miles (over 19000 kilometers) above the earth. The satellites remain in a fixed position above earth.
Each GPS satellite moves about the axis of the earth at the same speed as earth itself. When observed from earth, each satellite appears in the exact same location above the earth. At any time, all areas on earth within the targeted 70 degrees of latitude north and south are blanketed by GPS signals transmitted by two or more GPS satellites.
Each satellite transmits radio microwaves one-way down to earth so as to blanket a large portion of its surface. Collectively, the full fleet of satellites ensures blanket coverage from 70 degrees north to south of the equator. Areas from the poles to 70 degrees latitude north and south are not serviced by the GPS system; they rely on a similar system operated by European governments.
The timing information generated by GPS technology is critical because it allows a GPS receiver to calculate its own position based upon the amount of time it took for the signal to travel the 12,000 miles or so from the satellite to the receiver. The accuracy of this timing information is precise to nanoseconds of tolerance.
The global positioning system is owned and controlled by the USA. It was designed to generate navigation and positioning as well as timing information to civilians, governments, businesses and various military users continuously and at no charge. Owners of a GPS receiver device can receive data transmitted to earth by GPS satellites. The system breaks-down into three elements.
First, satellites orbiting the earth. Second, control bases on earth. Third, GPS devices owned by the users. Both the orbiting satellites and the earth-based control stations are operated by the USA Air Force.
The GPS originally started operating with 24 satellites in orbit but now has up to 32 in operation at any one time. The bigger the number of operating satellites the better is the accuracy and reliability of the system. Each satellite is purposefully positioned about 12,000 miles (over 19000 kilometers) above the earth. The satellites remain in a fixed position above earth.
Each GPS satellite moves about the axis of the earth at the same speed as earth itself. When observed from earth, each satellite appears in the exact same location above the earth. At any time, all areas on earth within the targeted 70 degrees of latitude north and south are blanketed by GPS signals transmitted by two or more GPS satellites.
Each satellite transmits radio microwaves one-way down to earth so as to blanket a large portion of its surface. Collectively, the full fleet of satellites ensures blanket coverage from 70 degrees north to south of the equator. Areas from the poles to 70 degrees latitude north and south are not serviced by the GPS system; they rely on a similar system operated by European governments.
The timing information generated by GPS technology is critical because it allows a GPS receiver to calculate its own position based upon the amount of time it took for the signal to travel the 12,000 miles or so from the satellite to the receiver. The accuracy of this timing information is precise to nanoseconds of tolerance.
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