Global positioning system or GPS technology has dramatically improved operations in a large number of industries including agriculture, geodesy, public safety and disaster relief, space and timing. Countless commonplace activities like the construction of skyscrapers and other large structures, mobile telephone operations and even the control of electricity grids are facilitated by precise data provided by the GPS. Farmers, surveyors, geologists, maritime professionals, recreational boaters and many others perform their tasks more efficiently, safely, economically, and accurately using the GPS.
The global positioning system is owned and controlled by the US government to provide navigation, positioning plus timing data globally to civilian, government, business and military users 24x7x365 at no cost. Any user with a GPS receiver device can receive GPS location and time information. The system consists of three main components or 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.
Signals received by a GPS receiver from two or more satellites provides it with sufficient data to allow it to calculate an estimate of its own latitude, longitude and altitude. The estimate is based solely on the time, measured in nanoseconds, it takes for the radio signal to travel from a satellite to the receiver. Clearly, accurate measurement of that time is critical to the accuracy of the system.
In other words, each satellite rotates around the earth at the same speed as the earth rotates on its own axis. When viewed from earth, each satellite is seen to be in the same constant position above earth. At any instant in time, all areas on earth between 70 degrees north and south of the equator are capable of receiving signals 24x7x365 transmitted by multiple GPS satellites.
Each individual satellite transmits radio waves down to earth so as to blanket a large section of its surface. These radio waves move one-way from the satellite to the receiver. Collectively, the fleet of GPS satellites ensures comprehensive coverage of the earth from 70 degrees north and south of the equator. Areas of further north and south of the 70 degrees are not covered by the system.
The radio signals transmitted by the satellites contain a set of vital data. That data set includes the precise position of the satellite given by its vertical height above the earth and its corresponding latitude-longitude coordinates on earth. It also contains the exact time the data was transmitted by the GPS satellite. These four items of information are all measured to an extremely high level of precision by GPS technology.
The global positioning system is owned and controlled by the US government to provide navigation, positioning plus timing data globally to civilian, government, business and military users 24x7x365 at no cost. Any user with a GPS receiver device can receive GPS location and time information. The system consists of three main components or 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.
Signals received by a GPS receiver from two or more satellites provides it with sufficient data to allow it to calculate an estimate of its own latitude, longitude and altitude. The estimate is based solely on the time, measured in nanoseconds, it takes for the radio signal to travel from a satellite to the receiver. Clearly, accurate measurement of that time is critical to the accuracy of the system.
In other words, each satellite rotates around the earth at the same speed as the earth rotates on its own axis. When viewed from earth, each satellite is seen to be in the same constant position above earth. At any instant in time, all areas on earth between 70 degrees north and south of the equator are capable of receiving signals 24x7x365 transmitted by multiple GPS satellites.
Each individual satellite transmits radio waves down to earth so as to blanket a large section of its surface. These radio waves move one-way from the satellite to the receiver. Collectively, the fleet of GPS satellites ensures comprehensive coverage of the earth from 70 degrees north and south of the equator. Areas of further north and south of the 70 degrees are not covered by the system.
The radio signals transmitted by the satellites contain a set of vital data. That data set includes the precise position of the satellite given by its vertical height above the earth and its corresponding latitude-longitude coordinates on earth. It also contains the exact time the data was transmitted by the GPS satellite. These four items of information are all measured to an extremely high level of precision by GPS technology.
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