Global Positioning System
hideThe Global Positioning System (GPS) is a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) developed by the United States Department of Defense and managed by the United States Air Force 50th Space Wing. It is the only fully functional GNSS in the world, can be used freely by anyone, anywhere, and is often used by civilians for navigation purposes. It uses a constellation of between 24 and 32 medium Earth orbit satellites that transmit precise radiowave signals, which allow GPS receivers to determine their current location, the time, and their velocity. Its official name is NAVSTAR GPS. Although NAVSTAR is not an acronym, a few backronyms have been created for it.
Since it became fully operational on April 27, 1995, GPS has become a widely used aid to navigation worldwide, and a useful tool for map-making, land surveying, commerce, scientific uses, tracking and surveillance, and hobbies such as geocaching. Also, the precise time reference is used in many applications including the scientific study of earthquakes and as a required time synchronization method for cellular network protocols such as the IS-95 standard for CDMA.
For more information about Global Positioning System, read the full article at
Wikipedia.
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News tagged with global positioning satellite
GPS to track blue sheep and snow leopard
Nov 06, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- Scientists hope to improve the survival odds of the endangered snow leopard in Nepal by venturing into the remote Himalayas to study its main prey, the Bharal or blue sheep.
GPS shoes for Alzheimer's patients
Jun 06, 2009 |
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A shoe-maker and a technology company are teaming up to develop footwear with a built-in GPS device that could help track down "wandering" seniors suffering from Alzheimer's Disease.
GOCE successfully completes early orbit phase
Space & Earth / Space Exploration
Mar 20, 2009 |
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ESA's GOCE satellite was formally declared ready for work at 01:00 CET on 20 March. During the critical Launch and Early Orbit Phase beginning with separation from its booster on 17 March, GOCE was checked ...
Obama's CIO: Gov't data can drive innovation
Mar 12, 2009 |
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(AP) -- The White House's first chief information officer, Vivek Kundra, wants Americans to have access to more government data to drive innovation and help stimulate the economy.
Search results for global positioning satellite
Smartphone app illuminates power consumption
Nov 20, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- A new application for the Android smartphone shows users and software developers how much power their applications are consuming. PowerTutor was developed by doctoral students and professors ...
Unexplained liver hemorrhage after metastasis radiofrequency ablation
Nov 18, 2009 |
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Colorectal carcinoma is one of the most common cancers in the world. Approximately one in four of these patients have metastases at diagnosis, liver being the most common site involved. Although historically it was considered ...
TRMM satellite mapped 'Ida the Low's' rainfall from space (w/ Video)
Space & Earth / Earth Sciences
Nov 16, 2009 |
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The Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission satellite known as "TRMM" has the ability to measure rainfall from space, and assessed the heavy rainfall from last week's coastal low pressure area, formerly known ...
Penguins and sea lions help produce new atlas
Nov 16, 2009 |
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Recording hundreds of thousands of individual uplinks from satellite transmitters fitted on penguins, albatrosses, sea lions, and other marine animals, the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and BirdLife ...
You're being followed: Scientists track movement of living things
Nov 13, 2009 |
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Almost 24 centuries after the Greek philosopher Aristotle wrote his book, "On the Movement of Animals," modern scientists are still struggling to understand how, why, when and where living creatures move.
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Greenland ice cap melting faster than ever
Space & Earth / Earth Sciences
Nov 12, 2009 |
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Satellite observations and a state-of-the art regional atmospheric model have independently confirmed that the Greenland ice sheet is loosing mass at an accelerating rate, reports a new study in Science.
Advances in malaria research show promise for fight against one of the world's deadliest diseases
Nov 12, 2009 |
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In a novel approach at disseminating scientific research, the Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute (JHMRI) will hold a web summit to release the latest breakthroughs in malaria research, including new approaches to boosting ...
Climate studies to benefit from 12 years of satellite aerosol data
Space & Earth / Earth Sciences
Nov 10, 2009 |
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Aerosols, very small particles suspended in the air, play an important role in the global climate balance and in regulating climate change. They are one of the greatest sources of uncertainty in climate change ...
NASA's GOES Project offers real-time hurricane alley movies
Space & Earth / Earth Sciences
Nov 09, 2009 |
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People love to get the big picture of hurricane alleys, and thanks to the GOES Project at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., they can now get real-time satellite animations of the eastern ...
NASA's TRMM Satellite sees most of Ida's heaviest rain stayed off coasts
Space & Earth / Earth Sciences
Nov 09, 2009 |
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NASA and the Japanese Space Agency's Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite flew over Ida and captured her rainfall when she passed by Nicaragua, Honduras and Belize this weekend. TRMM data revealed ...
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