The Global Positioning System may be free for the whole world to use, but it wasn't always that way. Originally the satellite-based system was for U.S. military only because they developed and launched the satellites, but also feared that giving the public access could potentially harm the U.S. in combat. After all, this was a system used to help missiles find targets. So what changed their mind?
The military originally had no intentions on opening the system to the public. But then in 1983, a Soviet SU-15 shot down a Korean passenger jet as it strayed from its intended route into Soviet prohibited airspace. Realizing world-wide GPS could have prevented the tragedy—and could prevent more in the future—President Ronald Reagan opened this system to the public on September 16, 1983. There was a catch, however. The public version would have its accuracy fuzzed to a radius of about100 meters to ensure that only the U.S. military had the best data available. Youtuber Real Engineering explains in detail:
In 2000, President Bill Clinton signed a bill to stop the scrambling—presumably because the advantage had become outdated—therefore making the system much more accurate for everyone. The free, accurate GPS that resulted made all sorts of things, most notably the modern smartphone and its mapping apps, possible.
Although this system was released to the public, the United States has jammed signals in places like Iraq by releasing radio waves to disrupt those coming from the satellite. Jamming the systems is not a hard task to do, but it's also easy for people to tell where the jamming is coming from, so you can't do it in secret.
Of course, at any time the U.S. could simply take this system away from the public and cripple many business across the world, so countries have begin to create their own GPS systems to compete. But without the unshackling of that very first system, the world would be a very different place.
Source: Real Engineering
FAQs
The system was developed by the U.S. Department of Defense in 1978 and originally restricted to military use. Following the Korean Airlines disaster in 1983, the Reagan administration announced that GPS would be available for civilian use.
Why is GPS important in the military? ›
GPS Roles and Responsibilities
Applies GPS technology to a broad variety of military operations, including precision guided munition strike, force tracking, search and rescue, and remote piloting of unmanned aerial vehicles.
Is military GPS more accurate than civilian GPS? ›
Is military GPS more accurate than civilian GPS? The user range error (URE) of the GPS signals in space is actually the same for the civilian and military GPS services. However, most of today's civilian devices use only one GPS frequency, while military receivers use two.
Why is GPS free to use? ›
The American taxpayer pays for the GPS service enjoyed throughout the world. All GPS program funding comes from general U.S. tax revenues.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of GPS? ›
GPS vehicle tracking systems offer many advantages, including improved safety and security, accurate data collection, increased efficiency, and cost savings. However, they also have some disadvantages, such as privacy concerns, potential hacking vulnerabilities, and a lack of reliability.
Why you should turn off GPS? ›
Turning off the location service on your phone can help conceal your location. This is important if you don't want third parties knowing where you are or being able to track your movement.
Who owns the GPS? ›
The Global Positioning System (GPS) is a space-based radio-navigation system, owned by the U.S. Government and operated by the United States Air Force (USAF). It can pinpoint a three dimensional position to meter-level accuracy and time to the 10-nanosecond level, worldwide and 24/7.
Does the US military use GPS? ›
The Global Positioning System (GPS) is a constellation of orbiting satellites that provides position, navigation, and timing data to military and civilian users globally. The system is operated and controlled by Delta 8, located at Schriever Air Force Base, Colo.
When was GPS made public for cars? ›
1995: Oldsmobile introduced the first GPS navigation system available in a United States production car, called GuideStar.
Does the US military still use GPS? ›
Of course. The Global Positioning System (GPS), originally NAVSTAR GPS, is a satellite-based radio navigation system owned by the United States government and operated by the United States Space Force. It was designed for military use first and later opened to civilian applications.
Back in 1973, the military began looking for a reliable, accurate means of electronic navigation. Existing systems didn't always work accurately enough for military purposes, and some were vulnerable to an enemy attack. The difference between Trilateration and Triangulation.
Is GPS an invasion of privacy? ›
Head over to the west coast, and in California, it is illegal for employers to track anyone without their consent, no matter who owns the vehicle.
