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There is no doubting the impact GPS technology has had on our modern society. To many citizens, GPS may seem relatively new, showing up in high-tech vehicles a few years ago. However, the technology has been making huge waves in the scientific and military industries for years. The technology was originally developed by the U.S. military services and Defense Mapping Agency for the purposes of creating a space-based navigational system with unmatched accuracy. The program was called a Global Positioning System (GPS), and in 1973, when it first began, there was no way to foresee all the various uses available today.

Years before most lay people even heard of GPS technology, it received significant attention from the scientific community. In 1998, GPS was one of two technologies inducted into the Space Technology Hall of Fame, as displayed on the Space Foundation’s website: spacetechhalloffame.org. Although the technology is used worldwide, the entire 24-satellite constellation is managed by the NAVSTAR GPS Joint Program Office at the Space and Missile Systems Center near Los Angeles.

One of the aspects of GPS technology that makes it so unique, is the incredibly diverse functions. The program was originally designed for military use, but as it developed over almost 40 years, many new possibilities were discovered. Now, the  Global Positioning System is considered a dual use technology for military and civil consumption. While the U.S. Air Force Space Command, the Department of Defense and the Department of Transportation ultimately control and maintain the satellite system, more and more commercial uses for the technology are being developed for everyday use.

GPS technology was first introduced to the public on a massive scale with navigational systems, attached to or built-in to their vehicles. Now, just about any smartphone comes equipped with GPS, which caused a boom of mobile applications designed with the GPS capabilities in mind. WIth such versatile technology, there is no end in sight for new innovations.

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By Jackie Gately

Use of the Global Positioning System (GPS) is becoming commonplace for navigation and tracking purposes alike. While we enjoy the novelty and benefits of GPS navigation and tracking tools, the first application was military in nature – and it really wasn’t that long ago. But what exactly is behind the “magic” and how did it evolve?

In 1957, when the Soviet Union launched Sputnik (the first satellite) into orbit, researchers at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) made an interesting observation: as Sputnik approached their location, its radio signal increased; and as Sputnik became more distant, the radio signal decreased. Using this information combined with the knowledge of their own position, the researchers were able to determine Sputnik’s location. It was this discovery upon which GPS technology is based.*

In 1960, Transit was the first satellite navigation system used by the United States Navy. It used five satellites in tandem to determine and report a location about once every hour. The Pentagon later began developing the Navstar Global Positioning System in an effort to create an error proof satellite system for military strategies. They launched a total of 24 GPS satellites between 1978-1993.

Simply stated, GPS uses microwave signals transmitted from a network of satellites as a basis to determine ground position. The military uses this technology for a range of applications, including navigation, target tracking, missile and projectile guidance, search and rescue, reconnaissance and map creation, and as a major portion of the United States Nuclear Detonation Detection System.

The need for civilian use became obvious after Korean Air Lines Flight 007 strayed and was shot down in a Soviet no-fly zone. In response, President Ronald Reagan made GPS available for civilian use in a limited capacity. In 2000, President William Clinton ordered the removal of signal degradation and other military restrictions.

To date, civilian GPS applications include navigation, GPS tracking devices, fleet management, search and rescue, and more. You can plan a trip, find your way home, locate or track a vehicle, person or other object – all courtesy of positioning data from satellites maintained by the US Air Force 50th Space Wing.

* American scientist, Roger L. Easton, Sr. received the distinguished National Medal of Technology in 2006 and has long been acclaimed as the principal inventor and designer of GPS.

Jackie Gately is a freelance writer. She can be reached at jackiegately.wordpress.com or located by GPS.

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Now that the term “GPS” is a part of our everyday vocabulary, some of you may not think twice about what it really means. Perhaps for you the term “GPS” is the same as saying navigation. That is okay because if that’s how this particular technology shows up in your life, then you may not need a precise definition. But just in case you want a little bit of background about how it is that you can use a GPS tracker to keep up with vehicles, parcels, and the people using these things, here are some basics:

The letters “GPS” stand for Global Positioning System. The U.S. Department of Defense owns the system and makes it available for people anywhere in the world to use if they want. It has been fully operational since 1995.

The system consists of satellites that are in orbit more than ten thousand miles about the Earth and each one has a computer atomic clock and a radio. These satellites are spaced out so that no matter where you are on the planet, four of them will be stationed above the horizon.

The GPS receivers we use (such as tracking devices, cell phones, etc.) also have computers. The computers in our receivers triangulate to give data on their position after getting bearings from the GPS satellites about the Earth. Receivers can also give you information on speed and direction. This is why some GPS navigation tools are able to reconfigure directions, even when you get off course.

At first this system was used by scientists for research purposes, but now it is available to consumers for everyday use. Rocky Mountain Tracking has a great selection of GPS navigation and tracking tools to choose from. Now that you understand a little about how it all works, you’ll really appreciate the convenience of the Global Positioning System.

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