Global Positioning System

Global Positioning System (GPS)
	;
Country/ies of origin	United States
Operator(s)	US Space Force; (Mission Delta 31)
Type	Military, civilian
Status	Operational
Coverage	Global
Accuracy	30–500 cm (0.98–16 ft)
Constellation size
Nominal satellites	24
Current usable satellites	31 operational
First launch	February 22, 1978
Total launches	79
Orbital characteristics
Regime(s)	6 MEO planes
Orbital height	20,180 km (12,540 mi)
Orbital period	1⁄2 sd or 11 hours and 58 minutes
Revisit period	1 sidereal day
Other details
Cost	Initial constellation: $12 billion; ; Operating cost: $1.84 billion per year (2023); ;
Website	gps.gov

Artist's impression of GPS Block IIIA satellite in Earth orbit

Late 1990s civilian GPS receiver ("GPS navigation device") in a marine application

Automotive navigation system in a taxicab, 2000s

A United States Space Force officer operates the Global Positioning System in 2022.

The Global Positioning System (GPS) is a satellite-based hyperbolic navigation system owned by the United States Space Force and operated by Mission Delta 31. It is one of the global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) that provide geolocation and time information to a GPS receiver anywhere on or near the Earth where there is an unobstructed line of sight to four or more GPS satellites. It does not require the user to transmit any data, and operates independently of any telephone or Internet reception, though these technologies can enhance the usefulness of the GPS positioning information. It provides critical positioning capabilities to military, civil, and commercial users around the world. Although the United States government created, controls, and maintains the GPS system, it is freely accessible to anyone with a GPS receiver.