Game Changer – Gps
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There are many ways to determine the location of an object. In the era of the globalization, a technology adopted from space project to cover the distance between a navigator and people. This technology is named Global Positioning System (GPS). Before GPS was invented, scientists used a large variety of systems such as Compasses, Decca navigator system, Tacan to determine the geographical location of an object, but all of them were not accurate enough. However, the invention of GPS can accurately pinpoint users’ current coordinate. It revolutionized technology and become the most commonly used positioning system nowadays. The GPS system currently has 24 satellites in orbits which used for determining the position of a mobile object(Thuy Mai,2015). It is an essential tool in multiple industries ranging from logistics, military, and navigation.
GPS system changed the way of traveling and national defense as it provides precise positioning capabilities to civilizations and militaries around the world. In the bygone days when people relied heavily on paper maps, most people had troubles finding a specific location, especially in rural areas. However, the invention of GPS solved the problem by accurately pinpointing users’ geographic location and this brought convenience to drivers and hikers. Automobiles with built-in GPS can help drivers focus on driving, and instead of following a paper map, drivers could listen to the voice guidance given out by the navigation system which has made the road a safer place to drive. For hikers, GPS prevents them from getting lost in an unfamiliar location. Other than civilian usage, GPS also changed the way of national defense. As GPS increased the accuracy of a missile by using three satellites to determine a two dimension position nowadays more and more western countries have invested in the research and development of GPS related weapons (Office of Industries of the U.S. International Trade Commission,2003), hence increased the lethality of weapons. As GPS led to the improvement of the national defense, most countries reduced the number of soldiers and replaced it with the missile system.
The conditions that made GPS successful were the technological advancement and globalization. In the past, when space technology was not well developed, scientists can only rely on compass and radar to estimate the direction and location. However, with the improvement in space technology, US Navy successfully launched the first satellite into space in 1959 and built the satellite navigation system. It allowed them to use satellite to transmit radio wave to calculate the three-dimensional position. As more and more accuracy clocks satellites were launched into space, GPS gradually becomes more precise and popular(Ian poole,2013). Other than the improvement of space technology, globalization is another factor leading to the success of GPS. With the aid of globalization, international trade occurs more often and most people travel more frequently around the world, hence the demand of transportation across countries was soaring. The rapid-growing market has increased the demand for a concise position-locating device, and GPS comes in handy under these circumstances. As GPS can help to keep track of the shipment when shipping cargoes, as well as guiding aircrafts into the correct pathways, thus many business started to