#satellite

These are what we call satellite constellations, and believe it or not, we have been quite acquainted with them. GPS The Global Positioning System (GPS) would trace its developments to the beginning of the Space Race in the 1950s, when the beeping transmissions of artificial satellite Sputnik 1 was tracked to determine where it was in orbit. The space segment of this system would be a nominal constellation composed of 24 satellites operating 95 percent of the time. More satellites have been in actual use for the purpose, with 31 being operational as of June 2022. GLONASS The Global Navigation Satellite System (GLONASS) would also have a similar history as the GPS, inspired by the prospects of radio-astronomy technologies for navigation. Starting with the Soviet "Cicada" constellation composed of four satellites in 1979, the GLONASS system would be formally declared operational by 1993. Also like the GPS, it currently has a nominal constellation constituted by 24 satellites, but there would also be differences to note. The BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS) was named after the Chinese term for the Big Dipper (Plough), the seven bright stars of the Ursa Major. Read more in our articles including "GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, Galileo: What do they mean?" and "PH to teach other nations on space tech and best practices".