Description

GPS Navigation Satellite One of the firstscientific applications of GPS was to precisely determine theposition of fixed ground antennas in order to study the dynamics ofthe Earth surface. It was soon realised that in order to obtain thebest results it would be necessary to compute very precise orbitsof the GPS satellites. A number of groups started doing this and,as a result, the first orbits that were precisely obtained usingGPS were those of the GPS satellites themselves.

GPS Navigation Satellite systems have become so widespread thatthey are almost taken for granted. However, the fact that they areso useful is leading to an expansion of available systems. Severalcountries are working on systems so product selection may becomemore complicated. To start, one must have a solid understanding ofhow satellite navigation systems work, as well as the terminologythat is commonly used when referring to the technology.