What is GPS ? | GNSS | Applications | Knowledge Hub

Hey guys, do you know what is GPS? and what is the function of the GPS which is generally available in every smartphone? It is not surprising to know that generally, people have less amount of knowledge and information about GPS systems. Here I'll be sharing some information about a GPS and a few things related to it to which I am sure that you won't be regretting after the end of your reading and instead shall put your mind in wondering to how far technology has developed. 

What is GPS?

GPS stands for Global Positioning System. It is a radio navigating system made by the government of the USA which is based on space and time, also operated by the USA Airforce. It has the capability to provide geolocation and time information to a receiver of GPS existing on or near the Earth. In reality, GPS works because a group of around 30 satellites launched properly at the space which surrounds the Earth and results in working properly to the people on Earth with the GPS receivers. This GPS has become an essential part of science and is made available at a low cost that everyone owns this GPS receiver. 

GPS plays a crucial role for science in providing the various amount of data which wasn't possible previously, it does its work in a good amount of quantity and high rate of accuracy which is very appreciatable. GPS is used by scientists in various ways such as in finding out the movement of ice sheets of the Arctic, details of various tectonic plates on Earth, and the volcanic activities. In today's smartphones, there is already GPS technology included which makes the people very easy and useful to navigate places where they had never been through this GPS. 

So how does this GPS available in smartphones work? The GPS receiver in the phone also works in the same way as stated earlier that, it gets the signals through various working satellites and provides the necessary navigating instruction for all kinds of travelers which are either on vehicles or by their foot. High-end smartphones are capable of showing visually the surroundings of the tracks that they are on. Some more applications of GPS technology are such as mapping the forest helps in the harvesting of fields and also navigating various numbers of airplanes that are actively flying in the sky.

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How does GPS technology work?

The basic workings of GPS technology were stated above but weren't that much sufficient so you may consider reading this also.

Satellites that are constantly orbiting or rotating around the Earth delivers signals which are read and translated by the GPS receiver devices on Earth's surface, at minimum the receivers should be capable of reading the signals that are emitted by somewhat four of the GPS based satellites. Generally, at a time the GPS devices are capable of reading a total of six or more different signals sent by the satellites.

Each of the satellites which are involved in the GPS rotates the Earth about twice every day and also each of them emits different or uncommon signals which makes it easy to identify the satellite concerning the emitted signals.

 

Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS)

A GPS is said to be GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) when it has the scope of navigating Globally. Till now, there exists only two completely functioning GNSS which is NAVSTAR (Navigation Signal Timing and Ranging) of the USA and GLONASS (Global Navigation Satellite System) of Russia. The U.S. owned 32 GPS satellites in space and is to be known as the best and most used globally the NAVSTAR while Russia isn't too far with 24 working satellites.

Even though GPS is a subdivision and comes under GNSS, they both have different capabilities and outputs. Since GNSS devices are higher developed GPS technology so it has the ability to receive and interpret information from both GPS satellites and GNSS satellites on the other hand the GPS devices can only read the signals emitted by the GPS satellites.