Notable milestones in the development of GPS
| Year | Achievement |
|---|---|
| 1954 | The utility of space-based satellites is in review by various scientific agencies; a study is proposed to NSF |
| 1955 | DoD recommends the Naval Research Laboratory Scientific Satellite Program—which became Project Vanguard |
| 1957 | Soviet Union launches Sputnik I and II satellites |
| Attempt to launch Project Vanguard’s first satellite (TV3) is unsuccessful | |
| 1958 | United States launches first satellite into orbit—Explorer 1—under the direction of the Army Ballistic Missile Agency |
| Project Vanguard successfully launches Vanguard 1 satellite | |
| 1959 | Transit satellite navigation system developed at Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory |
| 1963 | System 621B, a navigation system developed by Air Force, is established |
| 1964 | Timation is established by the Naval Research Laboratory and led by Roger Easton |
| 1968 | DoD establishes steering committee—NAVSEG (Navigation Satellite Executive Steering Group)—to coordinate satellite navigation efforts |
| 1973 | In April, DoD further pushes for coordination, naming the Air Force to lead a new initiative called the Defense Navigation Satellite System (DNSS). DNSS was overseen by the Joint Program Office (JPO). NRL is still involved |
| In December, the NAVSTAR GPS concept is approved by the Defense System Acquisition and Review Council (DSARC) | |
| Phase 1 of the GPS program begins; intended to confirm the concept of space-based navigation | |
| 1974 | First NAVSTAR satellite—Navigation Technology Satellite (NTS)—is launched. It was a refurbished Timation satellite built by the NRL. It used the first atomic clock in space—a rubidium atomic standard |
| NRL expands cesium clock development for use on future satellites | |
| 1977 | NTS-2 satellite is launched carrying first cesium atomic clock into space |
| 1978 | First of 11 Block I satellites launched between 1978 and 1985 |
| 1983 | After a Korean plane was accidentally shot down by the Soviet Union, President Reagan announces his intentions to make GPS available to civilian aircraft for free when the system is operational |
| 1989 | The U.S. Coast Guard assumes responsibility as the lead agency for the Civil GPS Service within the Department of Transportation |
| The first five GPS Block II satellites are launched; From 1989 to 1997, 28 satellites are launched, including the last 19 being updated versions (Block IIA) | |
| 1991 | First combat use of GPS is used in the Persian Gulf War, enabling U.S. military forces to validate its usefulness in the featureless Iraqi desert |
| 1994 | GPS is announced as operational and integrated into the U.S. air traffic control system |
| FAA announces implementation of the WAAS to improve GPS integrity and availability for civil users in all phases of flight | |
| 1996 | Transit satellite system ceases operation on December 31 at 2359 GMT |
| 2001-2003 | Combat following 9/11 attacks and during Operation Iraqi Freedom further demonstrates the precision of GPS in military conflict |
| 2005 | First “modernized” GPS satellite is launched (IIR-M) that transmits a second civilian signal for enhanced performance |
| 2008 | U.S. Air Force announces award to Lockheed Martin for the development and production of GPS III satellites |
| 2010 | Russian GLONASS system completes constellation of 24 satellites, becomes fully operational |
| U.S. Air Force announces award to Raytheon to development next-generation Operation Control System (OCX) | |
| 2012 | BeiDou reaches regional Asia-Pacific coverage |
| 2016 | The EU’s Galileo achieves Early Operational Capability with 18 satellites in orbit |
| Year | Achievement |
|---|---|
| 1954 | The utility of space-based satellites is in review by various scientific agencies; a study is proposed to |
| 1955 | DoD recommends the Naval Research Laboratory Scientific Satellite Program—which became Project Vanguard |
| 1957 | Soviet Union launches Sputnik I and |
| Attempt to launch Project Vanguard’s first satellite (TV3) is unsuccessful | |
| 1958 | United States launches first satellite into orbit—Explorer 1—under the direction of the Army Ballistic Missile Agency |
| Project Vanguard successfully launches Vanguard 1 satellite | |
| 1959 | Transit satellite navigation system developed at Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory |
| 1963 | System 621B, a navigation system developed by Air Force, is established |
| 1964 | Timation is established by the Naval Research Laboratory and led by Roger Easton |
| 1968 | DoD establishes steering committee—NAVSEG (Navigation Satellite Executive Steering Group)—to coordinate satellite navigation efforts |
| 1973 | In April, DoD further pushes for coordination, naming the Air Force to lead a new initiative called the Defense Navigation Satellite System ( |
| In December, the NAVSTAR | |
| Phase 1 of the | |
| 1974 | First NAVSTAR satellite—Navigation Technology Satellite ( |
| 1977 | NTS-2 satellite is launched carrying first cesium atomic clock into space |
| 1978 | First of 11 Block I satellites launched between 1978 and 1985 |
| 1983 | After a Korean plane was accidentally shot down by the Soviet Union, President Reagan announces his intentions to make |
| 1989 | The U.S. Coast Guard assumes responsibility as the lead agency for the Civil |
| The first five | |
| 1991 | First combat use of |
| 1994 | |
| 1996 | Transit satellite system ceases operation on December 31 at 2359 |
| 2001-2003 | Combat following 9/11 attacks and during Operation Iraqi Freedom further demonstrates the precision of |
| 2005 | First “modernized” |
| 2008 | U.S. Air Force announces award to Lockheed Martin for the development and production of |
| 2010 | Russian GLONASS system completes constellation of 24 satellites, becomes fully operational |
| U.S. Air Force announces award to Raytheon to development next-generation Operation Control System ( | |
| 2012 | BeiDou reaches regional Asia-Pacific coverage |
| 2016 | The EU’s Galileo achieves Early Operational Capability with 18 satellites in orbit |
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