The History of the Global Positioning System Device
The devices responsible for the global positioning system were designed and implemented by the military. The armed forces used ground-based radar technology in concert with early satellites. In the early 1990s, the satellite system known as Navstar was launched into orbit. In the same decade, a number of civilian companies began to develop devices for cars and cellular-phone applications enabling individuals to use Navstar for global positioning.
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Transit
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Based on the the World War II concepts of ground-based navigation systems, the first global positioning system was launched by the U.S. Navy in 1960. Known as Transit, it used five satellites that could position objects every hour. Military devices used the technology of previous radar systems to track aircraft from the ground.
Civilian Use
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Civilian use of global-positioning devices was illegal for a number of years. It wasn't until a civilian aircraft was shot down over the Soviet Union in 1983 that the U.S. government authorized its use for commercial aircraft.
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Navstar
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Global positioning uses a military designed satellite system known as Navstar. The first satellites were launched in 1990. The final component to the Navstar global positioning system was launched on June 26, 1993. Initiated by the U.S. Air Force, the 24-satellite system gives the user the ability to identify his or her location within a few hundred feet. This new system is also used by civilians, prompting a number of companies to develop devices for use by consumers.
Formats
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As of 2003, global positioning system devices are available in two basic formats. For military applications, the devices are accurate to within 60 feet. Civilian devices can work within 100 feet; however, the Pentagon has the right to jam the signal to an accuracy of about 300 feet.
Cellular Phones
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During the early part of the 21st century, a number of cell-phone companies moved to integrate global positioning systems into their devices. In the U.S., AT&T, Sprint and Verizon had all included the technology within many cellular devices.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit Stefan Kuhn; GN Free Documentation License
