Kathmandu.
The Global Positioning System (GPS) has been in control of our diaries. Just last month, SpaceX launched a GPS satellite on its Falcon 9 rocket into medium earth orbit. After a while, it will start giving you location signals.
With the help of which you can easily reach the place you want. Similarly, when you go to an ATM and withdraw money, all the details including where you withdrew money go to your bank. These details are coming through GPS Third Satellite (GPS III satellite). GPS is the newest member of Third Satellites.
Today, GPS has become important for almost all areas of the country's critical infrastructure, although much of its work is lagging behind the scenes, and probably to a greater extent than you realize. In simple language, GPS helps us to know where we are and where we are going.
It plays an important role in our daily transactions including financial transactions and stock trading, weather forecasting, earthquake monitoring.
In his book Pinpoint, published in 2016, Greg Milner wrote, "It is almost impossible to estimate the overall value of GPS. It is difficult to estimate the importance of GPS compared to other things.
However, GPS is only a small part of the global navigation satellite system. The world's most powerful nations are working to send better signals to the earth and to strengthen satellites.
This is good news for everyone including the army, Uber drivers, pilots, bankers, geologists, farmers, drone users, self-driving cars. As the GPS system becomes more robust, it will make people's daily lives more comfortable.
How does GPS work?
There are 31 satellites in the GPS constellation, of which 24 satellites are spread over 6 orbits. Out of those 24, you are in touch with about four satellites at any time. Similarly, the other seven are essentially spinning.
The satellite doesn't know where you are every time you pick up a phone on Earth or use that signal for other purposes. Like a radio station in space, it only sends one-way signals.
Then your GPS receiver, which is a GPS chip on your phone or any other device, receives signals from four or more satellites. By measuring some of the differences that occur during the arrival of signals, within nanoseconds, it can calculate where you are and whether you are in motion.
Scott Burgett, president of Global Navigation Satellite Systems, said: All satellites send signals and they all match perfectly. However, your actual location depends on the time and distance travelled by the GPS satellite.
The timing of signal arrival depends on latitude, longitude and altitude as well as speed and direction. Based on this, Google Maps, Apple Maps and other geographic information systems help us with information about how far it takes to reach our destination and how long it takes.
- From the Cnet.
