What Is GPS?: How It Works

What is GPS?
The Global Positioning System (GPS) is a satellite-based navigation system made up of a

network of 24 satellites placed into orbit by the U.S. Department of Defense.
GPS was originally intended for military applications, but in the 1980s, the government made the
system available for civilian use.
GPS works in any weather conditions, anywhere in the world, 24 hours a day. There are no
subscription fees or setup charges to use GPS.
How it works
GPS satellites circle the earth twice a day in a very precise orbit and transmit signal information
to earth.
GPS receivers take this information and use triangulation to calculate the user's exact location.
Essentially, the GPS receiver compares the time a signal was transmitted by a satellite with the
time it was received.
The time difference tells the GPS receiver how far away the satellite is. Now, with distance
measurements from a few more satellites, the receiver can determine the user's position and
display it on the unit's electronic map.
A GPS receiver must be locked on to the signal of at least three satellites to calculate a 2D
position (latitude and longitude) and track movement.
With four or more satellites in view, the receiver can determine the user's 3D position (latitude,
longitude and altitude).
Once the user's position has been determined, the GPS unit can calculate other information, such
as speed, bearing, track, trip distance, distance to destination, sunrise and sunset time and more.
How accurate is GPS?
Today's GPS receivers are extremely accurate. Certain atmospheric factors and other sources of
error can affect the accuracy of GPS receivers.
Elements of GPS
GPS has three parts:
1. the space segment,
2.the user segment, and
3.the control segment.
The space segment consists of a constellation of 24 satellites plus some spares, each in its
own orbit 11,000 nautical miles above Earth. The user segment consists of receivers, which you
can hold in your hand or mount in a vehicle, like your car. The control segment consists of
ground stations (five of them, located around the world) that make sure the satellites are working
properly..
Applications
GPS has a variety of applications on land, at sea and in the air. Basically, GPS is usable
everywhere except where it's impossible to receive the signal such as inside most buildings, in
caves and other subterranean locations, and underwater. The most common airborne applications
are for navigation by general aviation and commercial aircraft. At sea, GPS is also typically used
for navigation by recreational boaters, commercial fishermen, and professional mariners. Land-
based applications are more diverse. The scientific community uses GPS for its precision timing
capability and position information.
Surveyors use GPS for an increasing portion of their work. GPS offers cost savings by drastically
reducing setup time at the survey site and providing incredible accuracy. Basic survey units,
costing thousands of dollars, can offer accuracies down to one meter. More expensive systems
are available that can provide accuracies to within a centimeter.
Recreational uses of GPS are almost as varied as the number of recreational sports available.
GPS is popular among hikers, hunters, snowmobilers, mountain bikers, and cross-country skiers,
just to name a few. Anyone who needs to keep track of where he or she is, to find his or her way
to a specified location, or know what direction and how fast he or she is going can utilize the
benefits of the global positioning system.
GPS is now commonplace in automobiles as well. Some basic systems are in place and provide
emergency roadside assistance at the push of a button (by transmitting your current position to a
dispatch center). More sophisticated systems that show your position on a street map are also
available. Currently these systems allow a driver to keep track of where he or she is and suggest
the best route to follow to reach a designated location.

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What is GPS?

The Global Positioning System (GPS) is a satellite-based navigation system made up of a

How accurate is GPS?

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