NOAA to Ensure GPS Accuracy

NOAA will lead an international effort to pinpoint the locations of more than 40 global positioning satellites in Earth orbit, which is vital to ensuring the accuracy of GPS data that millions worldwide rely upon every day for safe navigation and commerce.

NOAA personnel will compile and analyse satellite orbit data from 10 analysis centres worldwide to ensure the accuracy of GPS information. For the next four years NOAA's National Geodetic Survey will serve as the Analysis Centre Coordinator for the International Global Navigation Satellite Systems Service, a voluntary federation of more than 200 organisations that provide continuous global satellite-tracking data.

The Global Navigation Satellite Systems, which include the U.S.-based Global Positioning System, the Russian GLONASS system, and the upcoming European Galileo system, are used for accurately determining the geographic position of any point on Earth.