25/06/2025
GPS: The Technology That Rewired the World
How It All Started
GPS, or Global Positioning System, was born out of military necessity.
During the Cold War, the U.S. Department of Defense needed a way to guide nuclear submarines and missiles with extreme precision. The breakthrough came when scientists noticed that radio signals from satellites could be used to triangulate positions on Earth. By the 1970s, the U.S. launched NAVSTAR, the first satellite-based navigation system; a constellation of satellites orbiting the planet, providing location data to military units anywhere on Earth.
The Turning Point
In 1983, a tragic incident changed everything. A Korean Air flight strayed off course and was shot down after entering Soviet airspace. In response, U.S. President Ronald Reagan ordered GPS to be made available for civilian use. A moment that would redefine mobility forever.
How It Changed the World
Once declassified, GPS quietly revolutionized the planet:
Navigation Made Easy: From Google Maps to Uber, GPS powers nearly every location-based service. Lost? Just pull out your phone.
Logistics Revolution: Shipping routes, airline flights, supply chains. All became faster, more efficient, and more reliable.
Agriculture & Infrastructure: Farmers use GPS-guided tractors for precision planting. Engineers use it to build roads and bridges with millimetre-level accuracy.
Search & Rescue: Emergency response teams locate people in disasters or remote areas, often within minutes.
Science & Climate: GPS helps track earthquakes, tectonic shifts, and even rising sea levels.
GPS didn’t just make maps digital, it made the physical world programmable.
The Impact? Invisible but Massive.
GPS is the invisible layer beneath our lives. It powers industries, keeps us connected, and helps us move, whether we’re hiking a mountain or ordering dinner.
What started as a Cold War project is now the foundation of the modern world.
