Who pays

[imamartian]

.... for GPS?

Someone must've spent millions putting satellites up there (US !)... so do they get royalties every time i use my satnav?

 

[andyandy2]

I was having trouble sleeping one night and flicking through tv channels, came across an interesting program all about gps, (only caught part of the program) Apparently it was all developed for US military as a way to track and rescue soldiers on the ground in war zones. There are something like 31 satellites up there but only 24 used at anyone time.
I'm sure the sat nav system is a by-product of the system, not sure how its paid for though

 

[Alastairreid]

i googled it and this is what it came up with.

the links not working!!!..............anyway it was developed primarily for the us military to recover lost troops on the ground in battle zones.

it is paid for by everyone who purchases sat nav equipment, a proportion of which goes to the government who developed,built and launched the satellite.

 

[tim west]

Try navigating to the Real history of GPS website

 

[Steve]

GPS systems simply "hijack" the satellites to give you a location.

I dont believe we pay for it. The US govt pays for the satellites and maintenance etc. Sat navs are so cheap now, I dont see how the logistics would work in paying the US govt (which I wouldn't do anyway)

I guess one day some guy thought "hmm all those satellites up there, I could find out how they work and build a device to tell me where I am based on triangulation of distance from three points"

 

[JohnD]

since the US satellites are under the control of the US, there are times when they can turn them all off or encrypt them, for example when they're having a war.

There are some European satellites as well as a precaution against that happening

 

[Steve]

There are some European satellites as well as a precaution against that happening

Oh good. I hate to think what would happen to the taxi drivers of Doncaster, should the satellites all be turned off.

And dont get me started on the door to door salesmen!

They'd have to . . . . gosh! Buy a map!!!!!