| What is GPS? The acronym stands for Global | | | | improved efficiency on land: delivery trucks can |
| Positioning System. It is the new "Polaris" that aids | | | | now receive GPS signals and easily transmit their |
| in navigating, positioning and tracking with the use | | | | position back to a central dispatcher; police and |
| of a satellite-controlled system that broadcasts | | | | fire departments use GPS to efficiently dispatch |
| signals to the equipment on the ground. With | | | | their vehicles and reduced response time; GPS |
| receivers hand carried by users, GPS determines | | | | keeps motorists from getting lost by showing |
| the exact location of a vehicle, person or assets | | | | their position and intended route on dashboard |
| and other things useful and valuable to which it is | | | | displays; railroads now use GPS technology in |
| attached and records the position at regular | | | | replacing older maintenance-intensive mechanical |
| intervals. It is a powerful tracking system that has | | | | signals. |
| provided the world with diverse applications for | | | | What is GPS navigating the air? Long before the |
| the military and civilian users. | | | | GPS, aircrafts typically flew from one point to |
| What is GPS? The GPS is a space-based | | | | another and pilots on long-distance flights relied on |
| radionavigation system controlled and funded by | | | | navigational beacons situated across the country. |
| the U.S. Department of Defense and operated by | | | | The dawning of GPS supplemented existing |
| the U.S. Military. This is the GPS Operational | | | | navigational techniques for aircrafts inexpensively. |
| Constellation. The tracking system has space | | | | With GPS navigating the air, airplanes can now fly |
| segments consisting of GPS satellites sending | | | | a direct route to a destination that save significant |
| signals coming from space. There can be at least | | | | amount in consumption of fuel and time, the |
| 24 operational satellites orbiting in 12 hours that | | | | methods of guiding planes to a safe landing in a |
| recapitulate the same ground track as the earth | | | | poor weather or visibility has been improved and |
| turns underneath them. The GPS satellites then | | | | simplified and aided pilots with a precise position |
| transmit the data in a very precise time | | | | data to keep the plane on course. |
| reference plied by what is called "atomic clocks" | | | | What is GPS surveying, mapping the earth, |
| onboard the satellite. These atomic clocks then | | | | managing the land and agriculture? GPS is used by |
| passively transmit the navigation messages in | | | | surveyors and map makers for precision |
| specially coded signals, enabling the equipment on | | | | positioning; map locations of such facilities as |
| the ground called "receivers" to compute position, | | | | telephone poles, sewer lines, and fire hydrants; |
| time, direction and velocity in three-dimensional | | | | map construction sites and property lines in |
| locations known as latitude, longitude and altitude. | | | | minutes. In mapping the earth, GPS points have |
| What is GPS? Your Most Reliable and Most Precise | | | | assigned codes in order to identify roads, |
| Assistant | | | | streams, or other objects during data collection |
| The GPS was primarily for the use of the military. | | | | for analyses and comparison through a computer |
| However, after the Korean Flight 007 in 1983 | | | | program called "Geographic Information Systems |
| tragedy, which would have been prevented had | | | | (GIS)." |
| its crew only had access to better navigational | | | | GPS can be used in forestry, for mineral |
| tools, President Ronald Reagan issued a directive | | | | exploration, and wildlife habitat management to |
| which would guarantee that GPS signals be made | | | | define positions of important assets precisely and |
| available to the world for free or without | | | | identify their changes. In agriculture, a farm |
| restrictions. Though it was intended for civilians as | | | | equipment with GPS receivers can provide precise |
| well as military applications at first, from its design, | | | | position information and it also gives farmers |
| civilian users would not be getting the same | | | | great accuracy in the application of fertilizers and |
| accuracy that the military could. | | | | harvesting crops. |
| Going public, what is GPS serving the commercial | | | | Agricultural GPS systems can be used to create |
| market? GPS became the new powerful tool that | | | | crop yield maps during harvesting, making it easy |
| improved efficient routing of vessels at sea. It | | | | for farmers to plan exactly how the fields should |
| has saved a ship's navigator hours of celestial | | | | be used and fertilized for future crops. |
| inference and calculation. GPS enhanced safety at | | | | So, what is GPS? It is a powerful navigational tool |
| sea made it possible to report precise position to | | | | acting as your most reliable and most precise |
| rescuers in case of disasters. | | | | assistant that is transforming the way nations |
| What is GPS navigating the land? GPS also | | | | operate in space. |