Introduction to

Global Positioning Systems (GPS)

1LT Ed Zayas
Commander, Kihei Composite Squadron
Global Positioning System (GPS)
 Global Positioning System (GPS)
What is GPS?
- A global navigation satellite system consisting of 24
satellites and their associated ground stations
- Satellites are placed in Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) at an
altitude of 12,552 miles
- Orbital periods of MEO satellites range from 2 - 12 hrs
- Orbital period of GPS satellites is 12 hours (2 rotations/day)
- GPS Satellites travel at a speed of 7,000 mph
- Orbits are arranged so that at any time, anywhere on Earth,
at least four satellites are "visible" in the sky
 Global Positioning System (GPS)

24 Satellites in 6 orbital planes, 4 satellites in each plane

 Global Positioning System (GPS)
Satellite triangulation – we must:
- Know the distance to the satellites (using radio
signals)
- Have perfect timing (based on atomic clocks)
- Know where the satellites are in orbit (because they
are so high up their orbits are predictable)
- Deal with ionospheric delays (sun ultraviolet rays
ionize gas molecules releasing an electron)
- Mathematically we need four satellites
 Global Positioning System (GPS)

What does a GPS receiver do?

- Locates four or more GPS satellites
- Figures out the distance to each, and
uses this information to deduce its own location
using the known travel time of radio signals
- Operation is based on a simple mathematical
principle called trilateration to determine the
receiver’s location
 Global Positioning System (GPS)
Calculating distances – tricky stuff
• Mathematically it boils down to a "velocity times
travel time math problem”
• If a car goes 60 miles per hour for two hours, how
far does it travel?" Velocity * Time = Distance
• With GPS we measure a radio signal at the velocity
of the speed of light (186,282.397 miles per
second)
 Global Positioning System (GPS)
Let’s try the math!
The signal from a satellite takes .067 seconds to
reach your GPS receiver
Light travels at a speed of 186,282.397 miles per sec
Use the formula below to calculate your distance
Velocity * Time = Distance
186282.397 X .067 = 12,481 approx.
 Global Positioning System (GPS)
Satellite triangulation – distance to one satellite places the receiver
inside the sphere like here

x
 Global Positioning System (GPS)
Or here …

x
 Global Positioning System (GPS)
Or here!

x
 Global Positioning System (GPS)
In fact, anywhere inside on the surface of the sphere:
 Global Positioning System (GPS)
Satellite triangulation with 2 satellites:

Potential Location
 Global Positioning System (GPS)
Satellite triangulation visual:

x x
 Global Positioning System (GPS)
GPS coordinates
- Current location is expressed in terms of
coordinates
- Different coordinate systems are available
- GPS units allow you to change your coordinate
system
- Your units are set to use Latitude and
Longitude
 Global Positioning System (GPS)
Latitude and Longitude
- Two numbers used to specify a location on a
map of the world
- When used to specify location they are
referred to as coordinates
- They are measured in degrees, minutes of arc
and seconds of arc.
 Global Positioning System (GPS)
Latitude and Longitude
- Latitude 20° 48.631'N
- 20 degrees
- 48 minutes
- .631 minutes (or 36 seconds)
- Longitude 156° 36.897'W
Can you tell what these represent?
Global Positioning System (GPS)

THE END