GPS is, quite simply, one of the most heavily used technologies on the planet. Every time you tap your phone for directions, share your location with a friend, track a run or order a takeaway, there’s a good chance you’re relying on it.
But what many people don’t realise is how this system is funded. Or, more precisely, who funds it. You see, American taxpayers spend an estimated $2bn each year to maintain a network of satellites that provides free navigation services to much of the world.
So why does the US keep footing the bill? The answer involves Cold War missile programmes, rival satellite networks built by China and Russia, and a new generation of quantum technologies that could eventually replace GPS altogether.
But how does GPS actually work?
Okay. Let’s start from the beginning.
