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First and most obvious application of GPS is the simple determination of a position or location First positioning system to offer precise location data for any point on the planet The accuracy of GPS and the creativity of its users are pushing it into surprising realms

Usage of GPS started to take effect in World War II Transit was the first navigation system that was successfully tested US Navy used five satellites that gave a navigational fix every hour in 1960 In 1967, U.S. Navy advanced GPS by integrating accurate clocks Timing made GPS a four dimensional utility

Utilizes 24 medium Earth orbit satellites Uses Precise Microwave Signals System enables GPS recievers to determine location, speed, direction, and time Calculates position by measuring the distance between itself and three or more satellites using trilateralism Imperative to obtain a precise measure of the time-of-day to the location since it is calculated in four-dimensional space-time not in three-dimensional space Location is expressed in Latitude/Longitude

Transmission sends navigation messages with at least two distinct codes Known as Coarse/Acquisition code for public usage, and Precise code for military usage Each satellite had it’s own C/A code that enables identification within each satellite When using C/A code, the reciever choose one of the codes to listen to, based on technical information within each satellite Ability to synchronize clocks to exacting standards enables time transfer which is critical in the GPS industry

Latitude is the angle at the center of the coordinate system between any point on the earth’s surface and the plane of the equator Longitude is the angle east or west, at the center of the coordinate system between any point on the earth’s surface and the poles Lines joining points of the same longitude are called meridians Meridians are halves of a great circle and not parallel and converge at the North and South poles Need to specify elevation to fully specify location Elevation is defined as the vertical position of the location relative to the center of the reference system

Some of the Mathematics involved with that system refers to the degrees Degrees can be divided into minutes (1/60 of degree)and seconds (1/60 of minute) Accuracy of the given information relies most heavily on the satellite location and signal delay To calculate the delay time, the receiver establishes a relation its with the bit sequence from the satellites with its own internal version GPS signals work nearly at the speed of light

Widely used aid for navigation world wide Useful for map-making, land surveying, commerce, and scientific uses Scientific studies have included earthquakes, and synchronization of telecommunication networks Enables researchers to explore the Earth environment including the atmosphere, ionosphere and gravity fields Directly measures the motion of faults in earthquakes

Allows assiduous soldiers to find objectives in the dark or in unfamiliar territory Coordinate the movement of troops and supplies Track potential ground and air targets before they are flagged as hostile Accurate targeting of various military weapons including cruise missiles Downed pilots can be located faster

Perform as a surveying tool or as an aid to navigation Can be used with compatible wireless internet systems and services Can transmit location information to those services A location enables phone book service might tell you where your desired location is without requiring manual entry of a zip code Allows operators to immediately receive your location when you call the emergency number 911