The worldwide Global Positioning System (GPS) network was
designed by the US Department of Defense, as a way to track
one's exact location anywhere in the world.
The GPS network consists of 24 navigation satellites, which
orbit the planet at a height of approximately 12,000 miles.
These satellites each orbit the earth twice every 24 hours, and
they are set up in such a way that they can send signals to any
location on the planet, whether it be land or sea, and no matter
how remote.
The 24 GPS satellites are continuously beaming positioning data,
which can be picked up by GPS devices on the
ground, and used to calculate exact latitude and longitude
coordinates. Depending on the device that is used, this data can
be accurate to within a few meters.
Some GPS devices also provide advanced features such as dynamic
mapping and detailed driving directions.
Despite the common misconception that GPS-enabled devices are
prohibitively expensive, and only useful in scientific and
military operations, many of these useful gadgets are primarily
designed with the consumer in mind. For example, GPS
handhelds can be carried around on one's pocket, and are
very useful for a number of functions. Certain companies,
including Nextel GPS,
have even begun integrating GPS technology with common consumer
products such as mobile phones.
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