Introduction to the

Global Positioning System

Equipped By :
Luqman Bin Jamil
Adnan Shah
 What is the GPS?
 Orbiting navigational satellites
 Transmit position and time data
 Handheld receivers calculate
 latitude
 longitude
 altitude
 velocity
 What is the Global Positioning
System?
 Department of Defense developed, worldwide,
satellite-based radio navigation system
 Consists of 24 operational satellites
 Provides specially coded satellite signals that can
be processed in a GPS receiver, enabling the
receiver to compute position, velocity and time
 Four GPS satellite signals are used to compute
positions in three dimensions and the time offset
in the receiver clock
 History of the GPS
 1969—Defense Navigation Satellite
System (DNSS) formed
 1973—NAVSTAR Global Positioning
System developed
 1978—first 4 satellites
launched
Delta rocket launch
 History of the GPS
 1993—24th satellite
launched;(21 active, 3
spare) initial
operational capability
 1995—full operational
capability
 May 2000—Military
accuracy available to
all users
 Satellites
 Each GPS satellite orbits the Earth twice a day
 Each satellite transmits signals to Earth
 GPS receivers measure the time between when
satellites sent a signal relative to the GPS
receiver receiving the signal
 Tells how far away the satellite is
 Signals from several satellites will give accurate
results
 Component of the System
Space segment
 24 satellite vehicles
 Six orbital planes
 Inclined 55o with respect
to equator
 Orbits separated by 60o
 20,200 km elevation above
Earth
 Orbital period of 11 hr 55
min
 Five to eight satellites
visible from any point on
Earth
Block I Satellite Vehicle
 Where are the 24 GPS satellites?
 The 24 GPS satellites (21 active, 3
spare) are in orbit at 10,600 miles
above the earth. The satellites are
spaced so that from any point on
earth, four satellites will be above
the horizon. Each satellite contains
a computer, an atomic clock, and a
radio. With an understanding of its
own orbit and the clock, the
satellite continually broadcasts its
changing position and time On the
ground, any GPS receiver contains
a computer that "triangulates" its
own position by getting bearings
from three of the four satellites.
The result is provided in the form of
a geographic position - longitude
and latitude - to, for most receivers,
within a few meters
 Three Segments of the GPS
Space Segment

User Segment

Control Segment

Ground
Antennas
Master Station Monitor Stations
 Four Basic Functions of GPS

Position and coordinates.

The distance and direction between
any two waypoints, or a position and a
waypoint.
Travel progress reports.
Accurate time measurement.
 Position is Based on Time

Signal leaves satellite at time “T”

T

Signal is picked up by the

T+3 receiver at time “T + 3”
Distance between satellite
and receiver = “3 times the
speed of light”