Global Positioning System

This article is about the American global navigation satellite system. For similar systems, see Satellite navigation.
"GPS" redirects here. For GPS devices, see Satellite navigation device. For other uses, see GPS (disambiguation).

Global Positioning System (GPS)
GPS Logo
Country/ies of originUnited States
Operator(s)US Space Force
(Mission Delta 31)
TypeMilitary, civilian
StatusOperational
CoverageGlobal
Accuracy30–500 cm (0.98–16 ft)
Constellation size
Nominal satellites24
Current usable satellites31 operational
First launchFebruary 22, 1978; 46 years ago (1978-02-22)
Total launches79
Orbital characteristics
Regime(s)6 MEO planes
Orbital height20,180 km (12,540 mi)
Orbital period1⁄2 sd or 11 hours and 58 minutes
Revisit period1 sidereal day
Other details
Cost
  • Initial constellation:
    • $12 billion[1]
  • Operating cost:
    • $1.84 billion per year (2023)[1]
Websitegps.gov
Artist's impression of GPS Block IIIA satellite in Earth orbit
Late 1990s civilian GPS receiver ("GPS navigation device") in a marine application
Automotive navigation system in a taxicab, 2000s
A United States Space Force officer operates the Global Positioning System in 2022.
Geodesy
Fundamentals
Concepts
Technologies
Standards (history)
NGVD 29 Sea Level Datum 1929
OSGB36 Ordnance Survey Great Britain 1936
SK-42 Systema Koordinat 1942 goda
ED50 European Datum 1950
SAD69 South American Datum 1969
GRS 80 Geodetic Reference System 1980
ISO 6709 Geographic point coord. 1983
NAD 83 North American Datum 1983
WGS 84 World Geodetic System 1984
NAVD 88 N. American Vertical Datum 1988
ETRS89 European Terrestrial Ref. Sys. 1989
GCJ-02 Chinese obfuscated datum 2002
Geo URI Internet link to a point 2010

The Global Positioning System (GPS), originally Navstar GPS,[2] is a satellite-based radio navigation system owned by the United States Space Force and operated by Mission Delta 31.[3] It is one of the global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) that provide geolocation and time information to a GPS receiver anywhere on or near the Earth where there is an unobstructed line of sight to four or more GPS satellites.[4] It does not require the user to transmit any data, and operates independently of any telephone or Internet reception, though these technologies can enhance the usefulness of the GPS positioning information. It provides critical positioning capabilities to military, civil, and commercial users around the world. Although the United States government created, controls, and maintains the GPS system, it is freely accessible to anyone with a GPS receiver.[5]

  1. ^ a b "Fiscal Year 2023 Program Funding". April 27, 2022. Retrieved September 24, 2023.
  2. ^ United States Department of Transportation; Federal Aviation Administration (October 31, 2008). "Global Positioning System Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS) Performance Standard" (PDF). p. B-3. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 27, 2017. Retrieved January 3, 2012.
  3. ^ United States Department of Defense (September 2008). "Global Positioning System Standard Positioning Service Performance Standard" (PDF) (4th ed.). Archived (PDF) from the original on April 27, 2017. Retrieved April 21, 2017.
  4. ^ Science Reference Section (November 19, 2019). "What is a GPS? How does it work?". Everyday Mysteries. Library of Congress. Archived from the original on April 12, 2022. Retrieved April 12, 2022.
  5. ^ National Coordination Office for Space-Based Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (February 22, 2021). "What is GPS?". Archived from the original on May 6, 2021. Retrieved May 5, 2021.