Atlas 5 delivers GPS satellite 11,000 miles up

The ubiquitous Global Positioning System that ties the space program to everyday life on Earth, providing precise navigation to the world through a constellation of orbiting satellites, will be strengthened courtesy of a new craft launched Wednesday. GPS signals help civilians find their way, keep outdoorsmen from getting lost, farmers to cultivate their fields with precision agriculture and give exact timing accuracy for everything from bank ATMs to credit card machines at the gas pump. “New ways to utilize GPS technology are emerging daily,” said Col. Michael Rokaw, Global Positioning Systems Directorate’s Space Systems Division chief. “GPS has become an integral part of technology that affects the lives of billions of users around the world.” More

(Source: SpaceFlight Now - Jul 16)