How GPS Works

Short for “global positioning system,” GPS is a satellite-based radio-navigation system. Created by the United States military and first used in the 1960s, GPS didn’t become available for civilian use until the ‘80s and has expanded significantly in the decades since.

The GPS system includes two dozen satellites deployed roughly 12,000 miles above the Earth’s surface. Each satellite broadcasts its current position, orbit and exact time. By combining broadcasts from multiple satellites (ideally four), a GPS receiver can accurately calculate its location. Depending on the power of the receiver, it can take anywhere from mere seconds to several minutes for a GPS device to connect with those satellites.

The U.S. government continues to maintain the GPS system, but anyone with a GPS receiver can use it.