Modern GPS, which stands for Global Positioning System, is usually found on the dashboard of a car. This high-tech mapping system is so popular that newer cars are even being made with GPS built in as a standard feature. But what many people don't know is that GPS started out as much more than just a tool for people who couldn't find their way. GPS started out as a piece of equipment made by the US government that was new and exciting.
The po...
Modern GPS, which stands for Global Positioning System, is usually found on the dashboard of a car. This high-tech mapping system is so popular that newer cars are even being made with GPS built in as a standard feature. But what many people don't know is that GPS started out as much more than just a tool for people who couldn't find their way. GPS started out as a piece of equipment made by the US government that was new and exciting.
When Russia launched Sputnik into space in 1957, the first signs of what GPS could do became clear. People on the ground who were following the spacecraft's journey realised that they could figure out where it was going based on how strong its radio signal was. This opened up a whole new world of possibilities. The U.S. Navy was the first government agency to use GPS. In the mid-1960s, they set up the Transit System, which was made up of six satellites that circled the earth and helped Navy submarines with missiles figure out where they were. The US Department of Defense built and ran the first modern GPS. The first satellite was put into orbit in 1978.
Today, this system is run by 24 satellites that constantly circle the earth. It is used for many things, like mapping, navigation, and keeping track of things. We can find our location, the location of someone else, or the location of a place we want to go with the help of these invisible satellites. What's even more amazing is how small and tight this system is. Modern GPS devices are small enough to fit in the palm of your hand, but they have a lot of power.
GPS has changed the world so much that it's hard to imagine what it could do in the future. We can only wait and see how GPS will change in the future.
