Describe How a GPS System Operates
GPS stands for Global Positioning System. GPS is a navigational and positional system. GPS is a network of satellites orbiting around Earth. GPS uses a complex technology and principles of physics, but how it works can be easily understood. The GPS system operation can be learned by knowing the parts of GPS and the function of each part.
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Satellites
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GPS satellites are a group of satellites at about 12,500 miles above the Earth, orbiting around it. Six groups of four satellites each revolve around Earth in their orbit, taking 12 hours for one revolution, hence surrounding Earth in all the six orbital planes. These satellites continuously send radio signals to the Earth's surface while revolving in their orbit. The GPS satellites are synchronized with each other; hence, they send the signals at the same time.
Receiver System
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Radio signals sent by GPS satellites are received by a ground-based receiver system from which the position of the receiver can be accurately determined in terms of latitude, longitude and height. The antenna at the ground station captures these signals and transmits them in the form of electric current to a receiver system, which decodes the signals in the form of exact location of the antenna, even up to fraction of an inch accuracy. By knowing the time taken by these radio signals to reach the receiver, the distance of the receiver is calculated by the receiver system. The GPS receiver tells the exact location of the antenna by using a process called trilateration.
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Data Centers
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Date centers are the third part of a GPS system. The data center receives the data from a receiver system. There are automated computer-based systems at the data center to analyze the data received, hence the data center has the function of monitoring as well as controlling the data received from GPS. This raw and processed data is made available for its use for both scientific and commercial purposes, which is used in a variety of different applications. Data centers can be located anywhere at different locations in the world depending on the needs of this data.
Application
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GPS was initially developed for military purposes, but it is now widely used for both commercial and scientific purposes, including its use in various position guidance tools such as mobile phones and hand-held GPS devices.
Limitation
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GPS systems may not work properly in places where there is difficulty in receiving the radio signals by the receiver system, so they may not function well in a forested area or near tall buildings, so to have a clear sky is essential for getting the desired information from the GPS system.
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References
- Photo Credit gps image by AlcelVision from Fotolia.com
