GPS

GPS, or Global Position Service, is a very useful invention. The invention has been around for a couple years, and it has recently gained a lot of attention and publicity. All sorts of people have begun to use the service.

GPS has a series of satellites in the air. The satellites link up to GPS transmitters on Earth. With this link, the satellites can tell the transmitters on Earth their exact position. The positions are accurate within fifteen feet. The satellite can also tell the user the altitude of the user. The altitude is how far an user is from sea level.

The GPS system does have its shortcomings though. The transmitters have problems transmitting sometimes. If the user is under a bridge or in a very well insulated area, the signal may not reach the satellite. The position is therefore impossible to calculate. The satellites also are not very accurate. Fifteen feet is a large margin of error in some cases. If someone were stuck under the snow, a fifteen foot radius would be a large area to search. The person with the transmitter could easily die under the snow. This lack of accuracy is a problem scientists hope to fix. The satellites are also affected by weather on Earth. Large thunder heads and other weather phenomenon can block the transmission of the GPS signal.

Scientists are making giant strides though in the accuracy of the GPS transmission. They have begun to send more satellites into space. In the near future, the accuracy will be to the nearest three feet. The increased number of satellites will allow triangulation of position. This triangulation of GPS will make the position very accurate. With these increases in accuracy, the usefulness of the GPS will increase greatly. More applications will be discovered, and it will be easier to use them in search and rescue missions. They will assist soldiers over seas locate their other troops. Also, if the soldier becomes lost, the transmitter can send a beacon to help the lost soldier be found. The future of GPS is very bright.