Global Positioning System (GPS)

defination
The Global Positioning System, usually called GPS, is the only fully-functional satellite navigation system(allow small electronic devices to determine their location (Longitude, Latitude, and Altitude) in within a few meters using time signals transmitted along a line of sight by radio from satellites. Receivers on the ground with a fixed position can also be used to calculate the precise time as a reference for scientific experiments.)

History

Feasibility studies begun in 1960s.

Pentagon appropriates funding in 1973. First satellite launched in 1978. System declared fully operational in April, 1995

NAVSTAR:The United States Department of Defense developed the system, officially named NAVSTAR GPS (Navigation Signal Timing and Ranging Global Positioning System), and launched the first experimental satellite in 1978.

GPS NOWADAYS ..?

GPS has become a vital global utility, indispensable for modern navigation on land, sea, and air around the world, as well as an important tool for map-making and land surveying. GPS also provides an extremely precise time reference, required for telecommunications and some scientific research, including the study of earthquakes. GPS receivers can also gauge altitude and speed with a very high degree of accuracy.

Three Parts
Space segment Control segment User segment

Space satellite

Space Segment
The Air force insures that at least 24 satellites are operational at all times. There are six orbital planes (with nominally four space vehicles (SVs) in each), equally spaced (60 degrees apart), and inclined at about fifty-five degrees with respect to the equatorial plane.
The satellite orbits are controlled so that at least six should be available, unobstructed location, at all times. Each satellite circles the earth twice a day.

Each satellite broadcasts a unique signal that tells the receiver its location and the exact time.

Control Segment
The Master Control facility is located at Schriever Air Force Base (formerly Falcon AFB) in Colorado. Originally Schriever AFB and four other stations monitored and controlled satellite positions. During August and September 2005, six more monitor stations of the NGA (National GeospatialIntelligence Agency) were The monitoring stations compute added to the grid. precise orbital data (ephemeris) and Now, every satellite can be SV clock corrections for each satellite and update each satellite. seen from at least two monitor stations.
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User Segment
The primary use of GPS is navigation. Navigation receivers are made for aircraft, ships, ground vehicles, surveying, and for hand carrying by individuals .
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User Segment--cont.
The GPS User Segment consists of all GPS receivers. Surveying Recreation Navigation GPS receivers convert satellite signals into position, velocity, and time estimates. Four satellites are required to compute the four dimensions of X, Y, Z (position) and Time.
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GPS works like this:

A minimum of 24 GPS satellites are in orbit at 20,200 kilometers (12,600 miles) above the Earth. The satellites are spaced so that from any point on Earth, at least four satellites will be above the horizon. Each satellite contains a simple computer, atomic clocks, and various radios. With an understanding of its own orbit and the clock, the satellite continually broadcasts its changing position and time. The satellites use their onboard atomic clocks to keep precise time, but are otherwise very simple and unsophisticated when compared to other modern spacecraft.

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ApplicationS
Military Navigation Mobile satellite communication Location based services Surveying agriculture

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Military:
GPS allows accurate targeting of various military weapons including cruise missiles and precision-guided munitions, as well as improved command and control of forces through improved locational awareness. The satellites also carry nuclear detonation detectors, which form a major portion of the United States Nuclear Detonation Detection System. Civilian GPS receivers are required to have limits on the velocities and altitudes at which they will report coordinates.

EXAMPLE
This taxi in Kyoto equipped with GPS navigation, is an example of how GPS technology can be applied in routine activities.

This is a great little GPS receiver that lets you know where you are, and where you need to go. It's Bluetooth so you can use it in your pocket, with your iPAQ or laptop, and with whichever software your choose.
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GPS Errors
Noise Clock Biases

Blunder

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Noise Error
Noise errors are the combined effect of : Code noise (around 1 meter) Noise within the receiver noise (around 1 meter).

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Bias Error
Selective Availability (SA)
SA is the intentional degradation of the SPS signals by a time varying bias. SA is controlled by the DOD to limit accuracy for non-U. S. military and government users.

Ephemeris data errors: 1 meter

Satellite orbits are constantly changing. Any error in satellite position will result in an error for the receiver position.

SV clock errors uncorrected by Control Segment can result in one meter errors. Tropospheric delays: 1 meter.
The troposphere is the lower part (ground level to from 8 to 13 km) of the atmosphere that experiences the changes in temperature, pressure, and humidity associated with weather changes.

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Blunder
Blunders can result in errors of hundred of kilometers. Control segment mistakes due to computer or human error can cause errors from one meter to hundreds of kilometers. Receiver errors from software or hardware failures can cause blunder errors of any size.

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