The NAVSTAR GPS was first designed to aid the military for tracking and navigation of ground, sea, and air forces. The United States Army’s original purpose for GPS was for “hyper-accurate missile targeting.” (Loy) Since that time it has grown

TOPEX/Poseidon was equipped with two experimental instruments. The first is a low-power, low-weight, test altimeter that was developed by CNES. The second is the Global Positioning System (GPS) demonstration receiver (GPSDR), which was developed by Motorola under NASA supervision. The GPSDR receives signals, from up to six satellites at once, of the satellite’s location. The continuous tracking of TOPEX/Poseidon has made POD possible without the need of more sophisticated and time-consuming techniques. The experimental GPSDR has performed well and is now in full use on the TOPEX/Poseidon satellite to retrieve exact and precise data readings. “The major goals of the GPS experiment are to (1) evaluate the accuracy and operational potential of GPS for tracking Earth satellites; (2) provide a database that includes the GPS-based orbit solutions, calibration data, and reference frame ties for post experiment use by the project; and (3) provide production GPS POD technology for possible conversion to an operational system” (JGR). The GPS data is usually high quality; only 0.01% of the data is reported to be inconsistent and is removed. An economic objective of GPS is the ability of GPS to generate very accurate POD measurements, which can make it a “cost-effective alternative” to the present form of tracking systems. Because GPS data can be turned around into usable data within three hours, it also may be a time saving alternative as well.

from one satellite used strictly by the military to twenty-seven satellites that can be used by civilians and private corporations also. Presently, access to the GPS satellite system is available to anyone with a GPS receiver; is this ethical? At its inception, GPS technology was available to the civilian public, but the signals sent to civilian GPS receivers were purposefully distorted to make sure that civilians around the world were not able to achieve militaristic goals. This was dubbed Selective Availability (SA). SA was put in place so that not everyone could have access to a “hyper-accurate” satellite system. As of May 2000, the government adjusted the GPS satellites so that a civilian can have GPS readings that are as accurate as military readings. In simpler terms, the government has discontinued the use of SA. Was this a good step on behalf of the United States Government? GPS has become one of the most reliable methods of data collection from satellites around the world. In many of these cases, the satellites are used to deliver very crucial data to the world. An example is the TOPEX/Poseidon satellite.

As mentioned above, simply limiting the use of GPS can solve both ethical matters. The United States Government has the capacity to prevent the rights to use GPS by region or by individuals. The United States Government could easily apply a fee or tax to the use of the GPS satellites. Applying a tax to GPS technology could result in two outcomes. First, private and/or foreign individuals would decide that they are not able to afford the technology and therefore find another source of precise and accurate tracking and locating data. Second, the private and foreign individuals will find that they need the GPS technology and decide to pay the extra cost. The government uses the reasoning that by leaving GPS as a public service to the world, global “productivity” and technology will grow. In this sense it may be beneficial to the world but the issue still remains; the foreign world as well as the corporate individuals are using GPS technology at the expense of the United States taxpayers.

The second tracking system, the Doppler orbitography and radiopositioning integrated by satellite (DORIS), is a more accurate type of satellite tracking that uses microwave Doppler technology. This system is equipped with meteorological sensors that measure temperature, humidity, and atmospheric pressure. These readings help correct the bias in the data th

Some topics in this essay:
United Government, POD TOPEX/Poseidon, JGR GPS, NASA Poseidon, TOPEX/Poseidon POD, Prediction NCEP, JGR TOPEX/Poseidon, NAVSTAR GPS, Array LRA, Finally TOPEX/Poseidon, gps technology, sea surface, altimeter data, satellite system, united government, wind speed, wave height, gps receiver, precise accurate, geostrophic velocity, sea surface height, geostrophic velocity vectors, anomalies geostrophic velocity, precise accurate tracking, scientific knowledge quality,