GPS. What is it? For most of us it's that thing that gets you to lunch on time. After all, it is present in almost everything we use every day. But do we know what it really is? It's a simple question but you know the answer.GPS is short for Global Positioning System. It was developed in the 1960s to improve US military warfare by the Department of Defense (DOD), the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL), the United States Air Force (USAF), Boeing, Rockwell (which has since been purchased by Boeing), Aerospace Corporation (AS Corp.) and Lockheed Martin, but was built only by Boeing and Lockheed Martin. Most of the research and development was carried out at USAF Vandenberg Base in Lompoc, California. And the USAF decided to put in a Chief Master Sargent (CMSgt) who happened to be my grandfather. When I started this article I emailed him for some information on what he might release to the public and he sent me some links of what is online on GPS. Considering this project was led by the USAF, I'm sure there is information that hasn't been released to the public, but what that information is I don't know. The GPS constellation is still operated by the USAF but more specifically by the Global Positioning System Wing (GPSW). GPSW is headquartered in Los Angeles, California, at the US Space Command. There are currently approximately 30 active and healthy satellites that are still in orbit today. Which is about half of what was actually launched. The USAF has decided to separate each part of the GPS upgrades or modernization. Today, sending a satellite into space can cost up to $8,000, not including the thousands of dollars needed to build it. But every time a satellite fails it means it exploded on the launch station or... in the center of the card... current position. >20 is the maximum you can get. At this level, measurements are inaccurate up to 300 meters with an accurate 6 meter device (50 DOP × 6 meters) and should be discarded. Now you know how GPS works and the history behind it. First, it was built in the 1960s to enhance the United States' war effort. Second, GPS is a constellation of 31 satellites, which is about half of those actually launched. Three, there are three main parts of the satellite portion. Four: Satellites are useless giant paperweights without a GPS receiver. Five, it works thanks to radio waves. Six: It doesn't work if you don't have a good DOP. Finally, if you want to take anything away from this, do it with this quote that I have no idea who wrote but it's something that's on our minds almost all the time. The quote is “Everything that has been done or will be done is completely useless until it is used.”