What does GPS mean?

GPS is the abbreviation of Global Positioning System. It is a satellite-based positioning system, which is used to obtain geographical location information and accurate Coordinated Universal Time.

The system consists of 24 satellites placed in orbit by the US government. GPS can provide navigation with accuracy within 10 meter. It can work anywhere in the world under any weather conditions. There is no need to pay subscription fee or installation fee when using GPS. The system is operated by the U.S. government, and its accuracy and maintenance are also solely responsible for it.

Extended data:

A system that uses GPS to locate satellites and conduct real-time positioning and navigation around the world is called Global Positioning System (GPS). GPS is an omni-directional, all-weather, all-day and high-precision satellite navigation system developed by the US Department of Defense. It can provide users around the world with low-cost and high-precision three-dimensional navigation information such as position, speed and accurate timing. It is a typical application of satellite communication technology in navigation field, which greatly improves the information level of the earth society and effectively promotes the development of digital economy.

The predecessor of GPS is meridian satellite positioning system (Transit) developed by the US military, which was developed in 1958 and put into use in 1964. The system works in a star network consisting of 5 to 6 satellites, which circles the earth 13 times a day at most, and can't give altitude information, so the positioning accuracy is not satisfactory.

References:

GPS- Baidu encyclopedia