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The Global Positioning System (GPS) is a location system based on a constellation of about 24 satellites orbiting the earth at altitudes of approximately 11,000 miles. GPS was developed by the United States Department of Defense (DOD), for its tremendous application as a military locating utility. The DOD's investment in GPS is immense. Billions and billions of dollars have been invested in creating this technology for military uses. However, over the past several years, GPS has proven to be a useful tool in non-military mapping applications as well.

GPS satellites are orbited high enough to avoid the problems associated with land based systems, yet can provide accurate positioning 24 hours a day, anywhere in the world. Uncorrected positions determined from GPS satellite signals produce accuracies in the range of 50 to 100 meters. When using a technique called differential correction, users can get positions accurate to within 5 meters or less.

In a nutshell, GPS is based on satellite ranging - calculating the distances between the receiver and the position of 3 or more satellites (4 or more if elevation is desired) and then applying some good old mathematics. Assuming the positions of the satellites are known, the location of the receiver can be calculated by determining the distance from each of the satellites to the receiver. GPS takes these 3 or more known references and measured distances and "triangulates" an additional position.

GPS satellites are orbiting the Earth at an altitude of 11,000 miles. The DOD can predict the paths of the satellites vs. time with great accuracy. Furthermore, the satellites can be periodically adjusted by huge land-based radar systems. Therefore, the orbits, and thus the locations of the satellites, are known in advance. Today's GPS receivers store this orbit information for all of the GPS satellites in what is known as an almanac.

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The global positioning system (GPS) is a satellite-based system for determining accurate positions on or near Earths surface (Physical Geo p.43). The GPS system was developed in the 1970s and 1980s by the US defense department to aid in guiding missiles, navigating air crafts, and controlling ground troops (Physical Geo p.43). GPS is based on 24 satellites. They are set up so that a minimum of four are in the view of the earth atmosphere. The accuracy of GPS is greater then that of a base map.

In 1983, President Ronald Reagan made access to the system free to the public, and astounding commercial growth has resulted (Physical Geo p.43). The ideal that eventually everything in the near future will be using the system of GPS, for example cars.

There are some good things and bad things that come up with the GPS system the best thing we can do it set better laws to protect the system from being misused, and to protect the people it might be used on. This system helps our military to protect our country, why should people have the right to mess with it also. If they need directions I think that they should go and get a map. If we didnt have GPS what would they use? A MAP! I really dont think that this should be given to the public because again one person can blow it for everyone else, and they have. Our government should reexamine the laws that Regan put up for the GPS system and from there they need to make the laws stricter so that we all feel safe and not have to worry if we are getting tracked without or own knowledge.

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Describe how GPS works and how normal citizens have been able to use it to make their lives easier. GPS is a global positioning satellite that is used to show the exact position on earth that you are. This system is used in many ways. Many people in a new city use rental cars. These people will probably get lost. Now in these cars there is GPS. This system allows the driver to know where they are and gives them a map of the place they are planning to visit. GPS also speaks to that person and lets them know whether they missed the street.

The GPS system is a great assistant in these situations. By using the tracking system it helps find where most of the fish are living. This collar tracks the elephant wherever it may go. et they had to turn on, or how far to their destination. For the scientists who study many living things, GPS makes their job a little easier. Sometimes, people who fish for a living have a heard time finding good schools of fish. Now if a fisherman has a good day and wants to return to that spot another time, the GPS will save the location in its memory. From then on, scientists record information on the elephants. Thus, allowing the fisherman to return to that exact position anytime he pleases. We can also see life from an elephant's point of view. Another way this system helps normal citizens is by making research a lot easier. The collar also records growth and biological statistics and when we need them, we track the elephant and download the research on to a computer. When the whale comes up to breathe the scientist shoot a radio tag on to the whale.