Mechanicsburg Area High School

Chapter

TechEd

DesignBrief

Intro

GPS (Global Positioning System)

Development

A satillite navigation system is a system of satillites orbitting the Earth at a known speed and a fixed orbit. They have a atomic clock inside to maitain synchronsation with all the satillites in the constellation. These satillites emit radio signals to precice intervals and at predetermined frequency. Due to the Doppler effect the received frequency differs from the one emitted and thus the reciving devices are able to to calculate the deviation and thus their own position and velocity.

Cartography

Did you know? As of 2006 the American Global Positioning System(GPS) is the only fully functional satellite navigation system available.

Meteorology

GPS

Weather Satellites

NASA Blue Marble

Early-Warning System

Most GPS run with four or more satillites, positioned on the longitude, lattitude and altitude. This shows your location within yards. They accomplish this by comparing all four signals or more to locate your postion.      Satallites are also being used to aid survaying, remote territory, entering data into a geographic information system, tracking devices used in wildlife management and search and rescue as well as directing smart bombs to their location.       GPS was lauched, and is still controlled by the US millitary. All other contries using GPS are client states. There are some where between 24-27 satillites in space. It constantly varies due to the fact of new ones being launched and others retireing.

Outlook

Links