
ST2276
ScientechTechnologies Pvt.Ltd.5
Experiment1
Objective:
UnderstandingtheprincipleofGPSTechnology
Theory:
TheGlobalPositioning System(GPS)isandearthorbiting-satellitebasednavigation
system.GPS isanoperationalsystem,providingusersworldwidewithtwenty-four
houradayprecisepositioninthreedimensionsandprecisetimetraceabletoglobal
timestandards. GPS isoperatedbytheUnitedStatesAirForceunderthedirectionof
theDepartmentofDefense(DoD)andwasdesignedfor,andremainsunderthe
controlof,theUnitedStatesmilitary.Whiletherearenowmanythousandsof
commercialandrecreationalciviluser’sworldwide,DoDcontrolstillimpactsmany
aspectsofGPSplanning,operation,anduse.Primarilydesignedasaland,marine,
andaviationnavigationsystem,GPSapplicationshaveexpandedtoinclude
surveying,space navigation,automaticvehiclemonitoring,emergencyservices
dispatching,mapping,andgeographicinformationsystemgeoreferencing.Because
thedissemination ofprecisetimeisanintegralpartofGPS,alargecommunityof
precisetime,timeinterval,andfrequencystandardusershascometodependonGPS
asaprimarysourceofcontroltraceablethroughtheUnitedStatesNavalObservatory
toglobaltimeandfrequencystandards.
HistoryofGPS:
Developedinthe1960s,theNavyTransitsatellitenavigationsystemstillprovides
someserviceasatwo-dimensional(horizontal)positioning system. Good (200meter)
Transitpositioningrequiresknowledgeoftheuseraltitudeaswell asamodelofuser
dynamicsduring thefix,aprocess ofintegratingsatellitesignalDopplershifts(the
changeinreceivedsignalfrequencycausedbythechangingrange)during thefly-over
ofthesatellite.AnotherNavysystem,basedontheTimationsatellitescarriedstable
clocks(quartz,rubidium, andcesium)overthecourseoftheprograminthe1960sand
70sandwastheprecursortotheprecisetimecapabilitiesofGPS(Easton1978).GPS
beganin1973 asatestprogramusingground-basedtransmittersattheU.S.Army
ProvingGroundatYuma,Arizona,lateraugmentedwithearlyversionsofGPS
satellitesfirstlaunchedin1978.During the1980s,GPS,althoughnotyetfully
operationalandrequiringcarefulplanning formissionsduringtimesofsatellite
availability,wasincreasinglyusedbybothmilitaryandcivilianagencies.Land,air,
andseanavigation,precisepositioning,carrierphasesurveytechniques,andprecise
timeandfrequencydisseminationwereallaccomplishedtoalimitedextentduring the
initialphasesofGPSdeployment(Klepczynski1983).By1989 tendevelopment
satellites,termedBlockIsatellites,hadbeensuccessfullylaunched.By1990,43
laboratoriesrequiringprecisetimewereusingGPStosynchronizetheiratomicclocks
(Clements1990).By1994,24BlockIIandIIAoperationalGPSspacevehicles
(SVs)hadbeenlaunched.TheBlockIIASVscanstoreup to14daysofuploaded
dataincasecontactislostwithgroundstationsandcanoperatefor180 dayswith
degradednavigationreceiverperformance.Thenextgenerationofspacevehicles,the
BlockIIRSVswillincorporatechangestoincludethecapabilityofmaintaining
precisetimekeeping withoutControlSegmentuploadsforperiodsofup to210days
byexchangingdatabetweenGPSSVs(Rawicz, Epstein, andRajan1992).
HiK-Consulting