History of GPS – Part II
GPS Available for Civil Use Worldwide
Civilian use of GPS began in 1983, sparked by the downing of Korean Airlines Flight 007 when it strayed over Soviet Union territory. Following this tragedy, President Ronald Reagan announced plans to make GPS available for all civilian aircraft. This was a turning point for the technology and marked the spread of GPS into the civilian realm. The responsibility fell to the U.S. Department of Transportation to respond to the needs of civilian users, and the U.S. Coast Guard was appointed the lead on the project.
Even before full functionality was available, the commercial uses of GPS became evident. The first obvious benefit to civilians was surveying. Although the GPS constellation had not yet fully launched in the 1980s, the signals from the few satellites could still be used in a limited capacity. Since surveying did not require real-time data, the technology still offered immense cost and productivity advantages, even in its infancy.
Satellite surveying buoyed the commercial GPS market and kept it alive in the mid-1980s, even when government investment in the technology stalled after the Space Shuttle Challenger explosion. The money generated from the commercial applications went back into research and development on GPS and fueled the development of the technology, furthering and adding to governmental efforts. Some of advanced differential concepts, such as kinematic surveying and real-time carrier phase tracking, originated in the commercial arena.
GPS applications in aviation soon followed. In 1992, the Federal Aviation Administration issued performance standards for GPS receivers, essentially opening the door for manufacturers to build GPS navigation aids for aircraft.
Aside from military investment, U.S. government also played a hand in the development of GPS through its export controls. In 1991, the Department of Commerce altered its requirements for licensing of electronic shipments abroad. The revision of the export control program distinguished between military and civil GPS equipment and loosened restrictions on civilian GPS products. Instead of mandating individual validated licenses, the government allowed civilian GPS goods to be shipped as “general destination items.” As a result of this policy change, the U.S. was able to quickly penetrate foreign markets. However, strict restrictions remained on military GPS equipment.
In December 1993, the U.S. Department of Defense and Department of Transportation formally declared Initial Operational Capability of the NAVSTAR. The designation meant the system was able to sustain a 100-meter positioning accuracy to civilian users worldwide. By this time, the commercial market for GPS was in full swing, and manufacturers were eager to take advantage of the opportunities it offered.
Next week, learn how GPS developments in the 1990s propelled the promising technology into the 21st century.
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Tags: Consumer Uses, History of GPS, Military Uses, Part II
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