October 26, 2007, Newsletter Issue #97: GPS: How It Works

Tip of the Week

GPS stands for Global Positioning System, it is a satellite based navigation system that helps to pinpoint the location of objects on earth. A network of GPS satellites circle the earth in very precise orbits twice each day. When a GPS receiver is activated, it receives signals from all of the GPS satellites in its area. The receiver compares the time at which it receives the signal from a satellite with the actual time each signal was sent in order to determine its distance from each satellite. Using this information, along with the location information of each satellite, the receiver is able to triangulate its own location -- in terms of longitude and lattitude -- on the earth's surface.

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