Ever contemplated run low to warfare with America , but been thwarted when the Great Satan switched off your access to its sailing planet ? That ’s potentially a tangible trouble for China and Russia , but the real victor in this navigational arm race might be you ; it ’s improving the quality of location datum on your phone and in your railcar .
How Satellite Navigation Works
The general idea is that there ’s a “ constellation ” of 24 to 31 GPS satellites orbiting the earth . Each transmit a unique signal , which a receiver uses to direct the range between it and that planet . Comparing those ranges to the known side of those satellites allows your navigator to determine its perspective to within a few meters . To reach that in three dimension , your GPS receiver must have a line - of - mickle to at least four satellites . There ’s a sight more complicated stuff about atomic clocks and time , but this is the general idea .
And GPS is used in far more covering than just your railcar ’s route counseling or in determining the aloofness to Tindr matches on your iPhone . Financial initiation use its billionth - of - a - second time retain accuracy to metre transactions , farm equipment uses it grow crops and , if you ’re strain to calculate steering for a ballistic missile , it ’s important to be capable to fuck the rip - bit location of that missile .
I ’m certain you may see the two upshot this raises . If you ’re a civilian , you ’ve likely experienced an unfitness to or a delay in your equipment achieving a “ ringlet ” on all four necessary satellite . If you ’re a hostile administration , it ’d be hard to go to war against a country that controls your power to navigate and supply guidance to your implements of war ; GPS is operate by the Department of Defense .
The Space Race
The US Air Force first put GPS into stead way back in 1973 and kept it military - only until 1989 . It was n’t until 2000 that the organization became completely available for civilian consumption . As one of the most important pieces of the technological infrastructure governing our casual life , it ’s in a nigh never-ending state of upgrade . Currently , we ’re working towards replacing the generation IIF artificial satellite with gen IIIA items that will improve accuracy to within a individual meter .
The Lockheed Martin contract for eight IIIA GPS satellites is costing taxpayers$4.4 billion . This comparatively large toll , as well as the ability to launch shit into blank space , is what has , to - date , give the US a monopoly on artificial satellite navigation .
The Soviet Union quickly saw it was at a massive disadvantage and lead off acquire its own Global Positioning System clone in 1976 . Its GLObal NAvigation Satellite System ( GLONASS ) configuration of 24 satellites was fill out in 1995 , but was almost immediately allowed to decay as Russia ’s ability to transmit giant programs in distance diminished follow the fall of communism . mend the mesh was one of Putin ’s first and most pressing priorities as President and it restart ball-shaped coverage in 2011 . To give you an mind of its importance to the Russkies , it ’s the most expensive program in its blank space agency , accounting for a full third of its entire budget . You ca n’t conduct a shadow war in the Ukraine without a honest understanding of where the border lies .
And Russia is n’t the only country to realize its military self-sufficiency may be dependent on admittance to its own internet of piloting satellite .
China brought its own domesticated satellite sailing system , BeiDou , online in 2011 and has ambitions to take it global as well , with a total of 35 satellites planned .
During the Kargil War between India and Pakistan in 1999 , the Indian war machine sought access to GPS from the American government . But it was denied . This military action spurred India to develop its own , regional , satellite pilotage system of rules , again for purpose of military autonomy . The Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System ( IRNSS ) will create its own Global Positioning System tantamount work across its own country and extend up to 1,500 km from its borders .
Even the European Union wants in on the act . Galileois supposed to have 30 satellites in place by 2020 and is again intend to give member nation autonomy from US or Russian controlled scheme .
The two amply operating global planet piloting system in surgical process right now remain GPS and GLONASS .
GLONASS constellation ( pass on ) and GPS ( right ) . consumer essentially get access to both , at the same time .
How Rival Systems Benefit You
GPS and GLONASS are essentially analogous , at least from a layperson , consumer perspective . Both use a configuration of satellites which carry their positions and which get over time to bantam time interval .
GPS was first and the US was extremely successful at commercializing it . GPS receivers have been ubiquitous in consumer good for over a decade now . Russia desires the same and now dictate that all satellite navigation - capable electronics sold there be GLONASS compatible . Most producer of consumer electronics now find it easier to simply give all their products both compatibilities ; the iPhone has act upon with GLONASSsince the 4Sand most other smartphone manufacturing business began let in it around the same time , too .
GLONASS compatibility is also becoming common on handheld navigators and even in saucy watches .
The big benefit to you and I is that , with GLONASS , the number of satellites we can apply to nail our localization has fundamentally duplicate . This makes acquiring the minimum number to accomplish a emplacement quicker , easier and potential in more difficult emplacement and weather ; a GPS satellite may be blocked by a mountain , but a GLONASS satellite may not be , and vice versa .
It also means orbiter navigation will remain potential should one of these systems go down or access to it be denied by one of the governance . The US State thatit never denies GPS data , but does have the power to occlude or confuse it . I bet there ’s a lot of citizenry contend in Syria and Yemen right now who are figuring out which way to point their guns by using GLONASS .
The real benefit , however , is that everyone with the power to use both systems now has access to 48 satellites and vastly superscript data as a result . Using both , you increase planet signal observations from satellites with better spacial statistical distribution while achieving miserable dilution of preciseness due to the comparative slant of your pass receiver . degenerate location calculations are said to be possible as well;Garmin lay claim a 20 % improvementin learning time on its equipment when they ’re using both GPS and GLONASS .
To take reward of these benefits , many gadgets need you to enable GLONASS acquisition . Search your sailing options for something along the lines of “ GPS+GLONASS ” and enable it for the most precise , fast and least failure - prostrate location answer .
So the next time there ’s nuclear missiles flying through the strain and you ’re using your phone to find the nearest fallout tax shelter , remember that it ’s this decades - long not - a - battle between the US and Russia that ’s helping you get to base hit 20 % faster and , in area with prominent obstructions to your view of the sky , that much more dependably as well .
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