Whether you’re navigating a cross-country road trip or just trying to find the nearest coffee shop, the Global Positioning System (GPS) is the invisible hand guiding your journey. But have you ever wondered how a tiny chip in your phone knows exactly where you are on the planet?
The U.S. Government Publishing Office (GPO) Bookstore offers a “How GPS Works” poster that breaks down this invisible tech into a stunning visual guide.
GPS relies on a constellation of at least 24 satellites orbiting high above Earth. The process boils down to these three steps:
- Signals: Satellites beam out their location and a precise time stamp.
- Timing: Your device calculates how long the signal took to arrive at the speed of light.
- Trilateration: By measuring distances from at least four satellites, your receiver pins down your exact latitude, longitude, and altitude.
The poster serves as an excellent resource for:
- STEM Educators: A foundational tool for teaching physics, geometry, and aerospace technology.
- Aviation & Maritime Hubs: A reliable reference for pilots, sailors, and logistics professionals.
- Tech Enthusiasts who appreciate the engineering behind everyday tools.
Ready to master the grid? You can pick up the official How GPS Works poster directly from the GPO Bookstore now.
The GPO Online Bookstore – Easy Access to Federal Publications
HOW DO I OBTAIN THIS RESOURCE?
Sign up to receive promotional bulletin emails from the US Government Online Bookstore.
Shop Online Anytime: You can buy a vast majority of eBooks or print publications —with FREE Standard Shipping worldwide— from the U.S. Government Online Bookstore at https://bookstore.gpo.gov.
Order by Phone or Email: Call our Customer Contact Center Monday through Friday, 8 am to 4:30 pm Eastern (except US Federal holidays). From US and Canada, call toll-free 1.866.512.1800. DC or International customers call +1.202.512.1800.
Visit a Federal depository library: Search for U.S. Government publications in a nearby Federal depository library. You can find the records for most titles in GPO’s Catalog of U.S. Government Publications.
Find more than a million official Federal Government publications from all three branches at www.govinfo.gov.
About the author: Blogger Trudy Hawkins is the Senior Marketing & Promotions Specialist in GPO’s Publication & Information Sales Office supporting the U.S. Government Online Bookstore (https://bookstore.gpo.gov).
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Trudy Hawkins
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