Global Positioning System

We have all been lost before, and have had trouble finding our way to where we want to get to. Now technology is helping us find our way. This technology is called Global Positioning System (GPS). Global Positioning System technology has been used by the military for about ten years now, and is just starting to be given practical uses in society today. GPS uses twenty-four satellites orbiting around the Earth to determine where you are. GPS has many different uses, and it doesnt just have to be used to help you find your way. GPS can also be used with computer software for practical uses, such as in farming, and has safety applications as well. Global positioning system uses twenty-four different military satellites, which were developed by the United States Department of Defence and it was first used in the Cold War . The military has been using GPS extensively for about ten years, using it in Desert Storm and modern practice. Only recently is GPS being used outside the military. It takes three satellites to find your position. Each of the satellites sends a radio signal down to your GPS receiver, and the receiver measures how long it takes the signals to get there. This happens very fast because the radio signals travel at the speed of light. The time the signal took to reach the receiver is then multiplied by the speed it was moving (approximately 186,000 miles per second), and that is how far you are away from that satellite. This is done with the other two satellites, and your location is then found within a few meters. That is basically how it works but you must also correct for any delays the signal experiences as it travels through the atmosphere. There are many uses for global positioning system. Some of the main uses are in cars, on boats and for wilderness sports such as canoeing, backpacking or mountain biking. Dave Hunter of Mississauga, was approaching Chicago ...