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What exactly is a GPS?
GPS stands for Global Positioning System. It is a satellite based system owned by the United States government and run by our Air Force. There are about 30 satellites at work, orbiting around the earth, and 4 satellites are always visible, no matter where you are on the earth.
How does a GPS work?
Each satellite transmits signals of information about its position and the current time to the device receiving the information. These signals, traveling at the speed of light, are intercepted by your device you are using the GPS on, which calculates how far away each satellite is based on how long it took for the device to receive the messages.
GPS satellites have atomic clocks in them to keep accurate time.
Here is a video explaining more in depth on how a GPS works!
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This page by Makena S. ('21)
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