GPS Technology

The Global Positioning System (GPS) has become a common feature on most cars available for purchase or rental. It's an easy, useful way to get where you're going quickly and efficiently. But do you know that GPS is based on technology that dates back more than 60 years?
The technology used to develop GPS originated in the 1940s with such radio-based navigational systems as the Long-Range Navigation or LORAN. The United States officially began research on the technology that would lead to the creation of GPS in 1957. The launch of the Soviet Satellite Sputnik had led to a massive panic in the U.S. about America's need to keep up with Communist Russia in the "Space Race."
A team of scientists led by Dr. Richard B. Kershner, first Space Department head of the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, began work on what would become the first satellite navigation system, the Transit Navigation Satellite System. This system officially became operational in 1964. It was used by the Navy until 1996, where it was reported as having a success rate of 99.86 percent. Today, the Kersher Award is given annually to individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to the fields of navigation technology.
In the 1970s, work began on a formal GPS system. It took more than 20 years for it to become fully operational. The system was established by launching a series of satellites, the first of which was Block-I, launched in 1978.
The road to developing GPS was not without setbacks and tragedy. In 1983, the Soviets shot down a Korean passenger airliner in Soviet airspace with an interceptor aircraft prompting a worldwide outcry. This resulted in U.S. President Ronald Reagan declaring that once GPS was developed, it would be available to all U.S. citizens once completed.
The GPS system became fully operational in 1995. It has been continuously updated since then, with new satellites launched to replace the older models that are no longer functioning. The oldest functioning GPS satellite was originally launched in 1991.
GPS technology is now found almost everywhere, most notably in cell phones. According to the New York Times, during Thanksgiving week 2007, there were reported sales of more than $100 million for GPS units, up 237 percent from the previous year. This is due in part to the fact that advancing technology has made GPS units more affordable and accessible for most people. GPS units boasted more growth in sales than any other electronic device. They are now offered as a standard part of many automobiles, and as add-ons for existing automobiles.
GPS has a long and rich history. It serves as proof of what can be accomplished when a goal is set, and as a testimonial to the power of technology. With still more developments ahead in the future, GPS is like to become even more effective and accessible as time goes on. As rich as its past is, GPS is also likely to have a long and fruitful future.
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http://www.jhuapl.edu/newscenter/pressreleases/1998/980414.asp
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