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Last Updated:
2024-09-22 08:20:01

Global Positioning System

Satellite-based navigation system
Satellite-based navigation system

The Global Positioning System (GPS), also known as Navstar GPS, is a satellite-based radio navigation system operated by the United States Space Force. It provides geolocation and time information globally, serving military, civil, and commercial users.

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1957
The Aerospace Corporation's Role in GPS Development

The Aerospace Corporation has been instrumental in advancing the concept and technology of the Global Positioning System (GPS), playing a crucial role in its development and continuing to support these critical systems today.

1958
Development of Transit

In 1958, the Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA) utilized a principle to create Transit, the first global satellite navigation system. It was capable of providing navigation to military and commercial users, including the Navy’s missile submarines.

1959
Development of TRANSIT

In 1959, the U.S. Navy built TRANSIT, the first navigation system that heavily relied on satellites for positioning.

1960
Launch of First Transit Satellite

The first satellite for Transit was launched in 1960, marking a significant milestone in the development of the global satellite navigation system.

1963
Aerospace Corporation Study Completion

In 1963, the Aerospace Corporation completed a study for the U.S. Military proposing the concept of satellites sending continuous signals to locate vehicles on earth and in the air, laying the foundation for the modern GPS system.

1966
Recommendation of Satellite Navigation Architecture

In 1966, Aerospace engineers James Woodford and Hideyoshi Nakamura recommended an architecture for the satellite navigation system, utilizing measurements from four satellites to reduce the need for high-accuracy clocks in receivers and making the technology more economically feasible.

1967
Launch of Timation Satellite

The Naval Research Laboratory launched the first Timation satellite in 1967, which was a significant step towards the development of GPS by carrying the first atomic clock into orbit.

1968
Full Operational Constellation of Transit Satellites

By 1968, a constellation of 36 Transit satellites was fully operational, providing accurate navigation services to users worldwide.

1969
Orbiting of SECOR Satellite

The United States Army orbited its first SECOR satellite in 1969, which was used for geodetic surveying and played a role in the development of GPS.

1972-11
Col. Bradford Parkinson tasked with overseeing satellite navigation program

In November 1972, Air Force Col. Bradford Parkinson was assigned to supervise the satellite navigation program and led a team in developing a new concept based on previous systems like TRANSIT, Timation, and Project 621-B.

1973-09-03
Creation of Defense Navigation Satellite System (DNSS)

During a meeting at the Pentagon, about twelve military officers discussed the creation of a Defense Navigation Satellite System (DNSS), which later evolved into the GPS system we know today.

1974
Launch of the first satellite with an atomic clock

In 1974, a satellite was launched with an atomic clock, which greatly improved the accuracy and three-dimensional location coverage of satellite-based navigation systems.

1978-02
First Block I Navstar/GPS Satellite Launch

In February 1978, the first Block I developmental Navstar/GPS satellite was launched, followed by three more Navstar satellites by the end of the year. Aerospace engineers conducted over 700 tests between 1977 and 1979 to confirm the system's accuracy.

1978-11
Development of Global Positioning System (GPS)

The Global Positioning System (GPS) was developed in November 1978 as a satellite-based navigation network providing time and location information worldwide.

1980-01-06
GPS Time Set to Match UTC

In 1980, GPS time was initially set to match Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), but has since diverged due to lack of corrections for Earth's rotation. GPS time remains at a constant offset with International Atomic Time (TAI).

1983-09-01
Shooting down of Korean Air Lines Flight 007

Korean Air Lines Flight 007, a Boeing 747, was shot down by a Soviet interceptor aircraft after navigational errors led it into prohibited airspace, prompting President Ronald Reagan to make GPS freely available for civilian use.

1985
Start of production and development phase for GPS technology

In 1985, the production and development phase for GPS technology commenced, leading to advancements in the field throughout the 1980s and 1990s. This period saw significant progress culminating in the launch of the first operational GPS Block II satellite on a Delta II rocket in 1989.

1989-02-14
Launch of Navstar II-1

The launch of Navstar II-1 on February 14, 1989 marked the first GPS Block II satellite placed in orbit and the inaugural mission of the Delta II rocket. Aerospace played a crucial role in planning and overseeing launch simulations, tests, and rehearsals.

1990
Navstar GPS became operational

In 1990, the Navstar GPS system became fully operational, marking a significant milestone in the development and deployment of GPS technology.

1991
GPS in the 1991 Persian Gulf War

GPS type navigation was first used in war in the 1991 Persian Gulf War to assist Coalition Forces in navigating and performing maneuvers. The war highlighted the vulnerability of GPS to jamming by Iraqi forces.

1992
Inactivation of 2nd Space Wing and Establishment of 50th Space Wing

In 1992, the 2nd Space Wing, which originally managed the GPS system, was inactivated and replaced by the 50th Space Wing.

1993-12
GPS Achieves Initial Operational Capability (IOC)

By December 1993, GPS achieved initial operational capability (IOC) with a full constellation of 24 satellites providing the Standard Positioning Service (SPS).

1995-04-27
Full Operational Capability of GPS

The Global Positioning System (GPS) reached full operational capability on April 27, 1995, as announced by the US Air Force Space Command. This milestone marked the culmination of years of development and technological advancements in satellite-based navigation.

1996
Replacement of Transit with GPS

In 1996, the Defense Department replaced the Transit system with the more advanced Global Positioning System (GPS), marking a significant advancement in satellite navigation technology.

1998
NASA's Use of GPS for Space Exploration

NASA utilizes GPS applications to enhance spacecraft autonomy, space science, and Earth monitoring applications in order to pioneer the future in space exploration, scientific discovery, and aeronautics research.

1999
GPS technology in cellphones

In 1999, Benefon released the Benefon Esc!, the first cellphone equipped with GPS technology, paving the way for the integration of GPS in mobile devices.

2000-05-01
Selective Availability Turned Off

Selective Availability was a feature that limited the accuracy of GPS to approximately 6-12 meters. It was turned off on May 1, 2000, allowing for improved GPS accuracy.

2001
Rise of Personal GPS Products

In 2001, personal GPS products, including in-car navigation systems, experienced a surge in popularity. This marked a significant shift towards the widespread adoption of GPS technology in daily life.

2002
U.S. GPS Industry Council agreement with LightSquared on out-of-band emissions

In 2002, the U.S. GPS Industry Council came to an out-of-band-emissions (OOBE) agreement with LightSquared to prevent transmissions from LightSquared's ground-based stations from emitting transmissions into the neighboring GPS band of 1559 to 1610 MHz.

2003
Geotagging

Geotagging is the process of adding geographical information to digital objects such as photographs or documents. It helps in creating map overlays and location-based services.

2004
FCC adopts OOBE agreement for LightSquared's ground-based network

In 2004, the FCC adopted the out-of-band emissions (OOBE) agreement in its authorization for LightSquared to deploy a ground-based network ancillary to their satellite system known as the Ancillary Tower Components (ATCs).

2005
Introduction of Block II Satellites

By 2005, the Block II satellites for GPS included various configurations with different capabilities. These satellites, such as IIR-M's and IIF’s, were part of the modernization efforts to enhance the GPS system.

2006
Sprint Provides GPS APIs to Third-Party Developers

In 2006, Sprint provided GPS APIs to third-party software developers, enabling them to access GPS functionalities for various applications.

2007-09
Replacement of Legacy Mainframe Computer at Schriever Air Force Base

In September 2007, the legacy 1970s-era mainframe computer at Schriever Air Force Base was successfully replaced by the OCS, enabling upgrades and a new security architecture.

2008
Lockheed Martin awarded contract for GPS III satellite design

In 2008, Lockheed Martin was awarded a contract to design the GPS III satellite as part of the USAF's plan to modernize the GPS system, including the satellite constellation, ground control system, and military user equipment.

2009
Military GPS Applications

In 2009, military GPS applications included navigation for soldiers to find objectives, frequency-hopping radio clock coordination for military radio systems, target tracking for military weapons systems, missile and projectile guidance, search and rescue, and reconnaissance.

2010-05
Launch of the first Block IIF satellite providing L5 signal

The first Block IIF satellite that provides the L5 signal at a frequency of 1.17645 GHz was launched in May 2010.

2011-09-14
Completion of GPS OCX Preliminary Design Review

The U.S. Air Force announced the completion of the GPS OCX Preliminary Design Review, marking a significant milestone in the development of the Next Generation GPS Operation Control System.

2011-11-18
LightSquared SAT-MOD Filing

In November 2011, LightSquared filed SAT-MOD-20101118-00239 requesting to increase signal power in the same frequency band for terrestrial base stations, leading to concerns about potential degradation of GPS signals for consumer uses.

2012-02-14
FCC initiates proceedings to vacate LightSquared's Conditional Waiver Order

On February 14, 2012, the FCC initiated proceedings to vacate LightSquared's Conditional Waiver Order based on the NTIA's conclusion that there was currently no practical way to mitigate potential GPS interference.

2012-10-27
GPS satellite orbits Earth

During the Sputnik era, scientists developed GPS technology to track satellites using the Doppler Effect. In the mid-1960s, the US Navy conducted experiments to track submarines carrying nuclear missiles using satellites orbiting the poles.

2014
Fleetistics chosen as GPS tracker provider

Fleetistics was selected as the provider for GPS trackers by the company. Their excellent service and guidance have kept the company with them for over 7 years.

2016-02-05
Launch of the 12th and final Block IIF satellite

On February 5, 2016, the 12th and final Block IIF satellite was launched, marking a significant milestone in the GPS modernization process.

2017-01
GPS Time Ahead of UTC

As of January 2017, GPS time is 18 seconds ahead of UTC due to a leap second added to UTC on December 31, 2016. Receivers subtract this offset from GPS time to calculate UTC and specific time zone values.

2018-09-14
Lockheed Martin awarded GPS IIIF programme contract

Lockheed Martin was awarded the GPS III Follow On (GPS IIIF) programme contract by the USAF in September 2018. The contract includes the production of GPS IIIF space vehicles 11 and 12, as well as other related services.

2018-12-23
Launch of GPS III SV01

GPS III SV01 was launched on 23 December 2018, marking the beginning of the next generation of GPS satellites.

2019-04-06
Second GPS Week Zero Recurrence

The second occurrence of GPS week zero happened at 23:59:42 UTC on April 6, 2019. This event marks the reset of the week number after every 1,024 weeks (19.6 years).

2019-08-22
Launch of GPS III SV02

GPS III SV02 was launched on 22 August 2019, contributing to the advancement of GPS technology and military capabilities.

2020-06-30
GPS III SV03 Launch

The GPS III SV03 satellite was launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket after a delay caused by the coronavirus pandemic. This satellite is part of the GPS III programme providing navigation and timing services to civilian users.

2021
Introduction of Multiple Tracker Monitoring

The platform introduced the feature that allows users to monitor multiple trackers simultaneously on both a newsfeed and map, enabling them to track the locations of the trackers in relation to each other.

2023-09-25
NASA's Use of GPS

Exploration of how NASA utilizes the Global Positioning System (GPS) for space communications, spacecraft orbit determination, science applications, and more.

2024-03
Tech Expo Showcasing Aerospace's Technical Excellence

A tech expo in March 2024 displayed Aerospace's research and development projects to senior leaders from DoD space offices, fostering discussions on future priorities and partnerships.

2025
Launch of GPS III Satellites

In 2025, a new set of satellites known as GPS III is scheduled to launch. These satellites will offer more advanced GPS technology to improve reception and accuracy, especially in densely populated areas.

2026
GPS IIIF Launch

GPS IIIF will introduce new capabilities including regional military protection, fully digital navigation payload, and laser retro-reflector array to enhance GPS accuracy and anti-jam support.

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Global Positioning System
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