GPS (global positioning system] is a worldwide radio-navigation system formed from the grouping of 24 satellites and their ground stations. It is a system mainly used to locate the user's position at a time. Although GPS was originally intended for military applications, but now it is mainly used in marine, location-based services and terrestrial navigation. GPS can work for 24 hours in any type of weather condition, irrespective of sun and rain. The GPS satellite circles the earth twice a day in a precise orbit and transmits signal information to earth. GPS receivers take into this information and use 'triangulation method' to calculate the user's exact location. The meaning of 'triangulation' is receiving radio signals from a distance. Along with knowing the distance, you also need to know exactly the position of the satellites in space. This is done with the help of high orbits and carefully monitoring the instruments for locating the satellites. Finally you also need to correct any type of delays that the signal can experience as it has to travel for a long distance through the atmosphere.
GPS Applications
GPS is important as it helps you to figure out where you are and where you are going when you are travelling from one place to another. Navigation and positioning are important but cumbersome activities, which GPS makes it easier. Once located via GPS, it starts tracing other factors like speed, bearing, tracks, trip distance, sunrise/sunset time, distance to destination and several other details. GPS uses 'man-made' stars as reference points to calculate positions accurate to a matter of meters. So it is with the aid of GPS that you can give a unique and specified address to every square meter on the planet. So these days GPS finds its way into cars, planes, boats, construction equipments, farm machinery and laptop computers.
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