Location

Positioning, Navigation and Tracking

The Global Positioning System (GPS) is a space-based navigation system that provides location and time information in all weather conditions for all places on or near the earth. The only requirement is a clear view to at least four GPS satellites. The system provides critical capabilities to military, civil and commercial users around the world. The United States government created the system, maintains it and makes it freely accessible to anyone with a GPS receiver.

In addition to GPS, other systems are in use or under development. The Russian Global Navigation Satellite System (GLONASS) was developed at the same time as GPS. Europe planned their own alternative to GPS, called the Galileo positioning system. India also has a regional navigation satellite system (IRNSS), China developed the BeiDou navigation satellite system (BDS) and Japan is planning the Quasi-Zenith Satellite System (QZSS).

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