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The Global Positioning System A Worldwide Information Utility

The Global Positioning System A Worldwide Information Utility. ESTME Week March 2003 Office of Space Commercialization Technology Administration U.S. Department of Commerce. What is GPS?. Constellation of 24+ satellites operated by U.S. Air Force Satellites broadcast precise time information

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The Global Positioning System A Worldwide Information Utility

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  1. The Global Positioning SystemA Worldwide Information Utility ESTME WeekMarch 2003 Office of Space CommercializationTechnology AdministrationU.S. Department of Commerce

  2. What is GPS? • Constellation of 24+ satellites operated by U.S. Air Force • Satellites broadcast precise time information • Using this information, you can easily calculate your exact location on the Earth • GPS service is available: • Anywhere in the world • 24 hours a day • Under all weather conditions • For FREE!

  3. How It Works RATE = Speed of Light (300,000 km/s) TIME = How long it takes for the signalto reach the receiver RATE x TIME = DISTANCE TIME = 1 second DISTANCE = 300,000 km It’s 9:30:00 Now it’s 9:30:01

  4. How It Works With four or more satellites, a GPS receiver can triangulate your precise position in space and time

  5. GPS is a “Dual-Use” Technology • Originally developed for military purposes • Prominent in Gulf War, Afghanistan (“smart bombs”) • Will be critical to operations in Iraq • Civilian were given access in 1983 • Commercial use now dwarfs military use • GPS is jointly managed at a national level by the Interagency GPS Executive Board (IGEB)

  6. Interagency GPS Executive Board Defense Transportation State Commerce Agriculture Interior NASA Joint Chiefs of Staff Justice

  7. Commercial GPS Applications Span A Wide Range of Economic Activities Satellite Ops: Ephemeris, Timing Power Grid Interfaces Personal Navigation Surveying & Mapping Trucking & Shipping Aviation Communications: Network Timing, Synchronization Recreation Railroads Fishing & Boating Off shore Drilling

  8. Global Sales by Market Segment $ Millions Source: ITA, 1998

  9. New Commercial Applications Are Developed Every Day • Open pit mining • Child safety • Automatic snowplow guidance • Spacecraft control • Power grid management

  10. Huge Potential Exists in the Market for Value Added Services • Software development • Embedded applications • Localized Geographical Information Systems (GIS) • Internet integration • Wireless markets • M-Commerce (Translation: you could make a lot of money developing this stuff!)

  11. Transportation • Greater safety, fewer accidents • More efficient routes, fuel savings • Improved traffic throughput

  12. Surveying & Mapping • Surveying is required before building anything • Buildings • Dams • Power lines • Telecom towers • Pipelines • GPS mapping is especially useful for: • Oil, gas, and mineral exploration • Flood/disaster planning • GPS technology enables <1 cm accuracy and 100%-300% savings in time, cost, & labor

  13. Construction • Machinery, asset, and personnel management • Rapid surveys for laying foundation piles, etc. • Accident prevention • Remote control of machinery possible GPS/RTK technology was used in the construction of the Øresund Bridge between Denmark and Sweden

  14. Scientific Research • Monitoring geological change • Glaciers, tectonic plates, earthquakes, volcanoes • Wildlife behavior • Atmospheric modeling • Water vapor content • Oceanic studies • Tidal patterns • Surface mapping • Time transfer

  15. Environmental Management • Forestry • Wetlands management • Natural resource management • Fisheries boundary enforcement • Endangered species and habitat preservation • Hazardous material cleanup • Oil spills, toxic waste

  16. Timing • GPS offers an inexpensive alternative to costly, high maintenance timing equipment • Telecommunications network synchronization & management • Phones, pagers, wireless systems • LANs, WANs, Internet • Financial transactions • Electrical power grid management & fault location • Digital signatures for e-commerce

  17. Precision Agriculture • Maximize use of resources • Optimized plowing of crop rows • Tailored applications of seeds, fertilizer, water, pesticides • Improved management of land, machinery, personnel, time • Greater crop yields • Net benefit: $5-14 per acre • Minimize environmental impacts • Localized identification and treatment of distressed crops reduces chemical use • Precise leveling of fields prevents fluid runoff

  18. Consumer/Recreational • Portable receivers for fishermen, hunters, hikers, cyclists, etc. • Integration of GPS into cellular phones (E-911), wristwatches, PDA’s • Recreational facilities -- golf courses, ski resorts

  19. Yesterday 25-100 m

  20. Today 6-10 m

  21. Where am I? Plus: Better resistance to interference

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