History of GPS

The GPS devices that we currently use now in our mobile phones, cars, and even pet collars seem like new technology to us but the concept of an advanced navigation device has been around for as old as the World War II. The history of GPS can be traced during the war, when the United States, Japan, and other European countries used a terrestrial radio navigation system using multiple low frequency radio transmitters to find out the location and speed of the receivers, which is called the Long Range Navigation or LORAN. Another GPS prototype during the war is Decca Navigation System which was utilized for ship navigation in coastal waters as well as to accomplish accurate landings.

Another precursor for the GPS technology was the first man-made satellite made by the Soviets which is the Sputnik. By observing the radio transmissions of the Sputnik, American scientists discovered that they can pinpoint the location of the satellite by measuring the Doppler distortion. Since then, the United States have launched a series of space satellites to counter the Soviet Union’s efforts. These were crucial in the history of GPS and the subsequent development of such technology.

In 1973, the Defense Navigation Satellite System (DNSS) was created which synthesized the developments in the 1960’s satellite technologies. This was later named Navstar-GPS which was later shortened to GPS. At this point in the history of GPS, this technology was still exclusively for military use.

In 1983, when the Korean Air Lines Flight 007 was shot down after wandering off to the USSR’s prohibited airspace, US President Ronald Reagan issued a directive to make GPS available for civilian use. The first satellite was launched in 1989 while the 24th and last satellite was launched 5 years later, in 1994. However, in the course of history of GPS, it only achieved operational capability in December 1993. It was however declared fully operational in April 1995.

All in all, it took about around 20 years since the first GPS satellite launch for electronics manufacturers to catch up with the technology, mass produce it, and incorporate it with the devices that they sell to the people. Nevertheless they are still very much useful when they are used.