GPS Field Guide
What is GPS
The Global Positioning System (GPS) is a system allowing to precisely identify locations on the earth’s surface.
The GPS system has 3 parts (Figure 1):
- The Space segment: a network of 24 satellites placed into orbit (Figure 2). The first GPS satellite was launched in 1978 and a full constellation of 24 satellites was achieved in 1994. Each satellite is built to last about 10 years. Replacements are constantly being built and launched into orbit.
- The Control segment which consists of ground stations, located around the world that make sure the satellites are working properly.
- The User segment: the GPS receivers used by the community (eg. ETrex device).
This satellite-based system offers highly precise location data for any point on the planet, in any weather conditions, 24 hours a day. It is mainly used for navigation, positioning and other research applications.