History of the GPS

    The GPS device is a tool that everyone in the world has access to; however, it was not intended for the general public to use.  Like the internet, it was intended for use by the U.S. Department of Defense for military applications.  It was first conceived in the 1940's and was made a priority in 1957 with the Soviet Union launching Sputnik, the first satellite flown into space.  The GPS was successfully tested in 1967 with a network of 5 satellites.  It was made available for civilian use in 1983 when a Korean airliner (Flight 007) was shot down by Soviet fighter jets after losing control over it's navigational system and flying into Soviet territory.  The first GPS satellite in a new network was launched in 1978 and a full constellation of 24 satellites was achieved in 1994.  The system was declared "fully operational" in 1995.  As of 2007, 31 satellites orbit Earth with each satellite designed to last ten years and then be replaced by a new satellite.  Each one weighs about 2000 pounds, travels at approximately 7000 mph, and is 12,000 miles away from Earth.  From the 1980's to 2001, there were government restrictions placed on the GPS to prevent terrorist use.  This severely limited the quality of the GPS until the program was lifted in 2000 by President Clinton.  Today, the GPS system is very accurate and a valuable tool to the military and civilians alike.  Anyone can use one, and it makes the difficulty of map reading and planning obsolete.  This device has proven itself to be a worthwhile investment and a valuable implement for getting to a destination efficiently and quickly.