Related Terms
Help Us Grow
GPS is an acronym that stands for Global Positioning System. It refers to a technology for determining locations using signals broadcast from a network of satellites.
GPS is available around the world from the United States' Navstar system. Russia has a similar system called GLONASS, and European countries are developing a new system called Galileo.
GPS technology allows a GPS receiver to determine its location (latitude, longitude and elevation) by comparing signals transmitted by GPS satellites that orbit Earth.
The United States created the Navstar system to support its military, but it has also made the service available for civilian purposes.
See Also