The GNSS "Race"

[oj88]

Here's a good read if you have nothing better to do, like me Or it could be a bedside read to help you go to sleep. :P

To the uninitiated, there are currently four (4) global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) orbiting the planet:

1. GPS (US) - 31 operational satellites
2. GLONASS (Russia) - 20 operational satellites
3. Galileo (Europe) - Currently 1 test satellite, 30 satellites by 2013
4. COMPASS (China) - Currently 2, 30 satellites targeted between 2015-2020

In total, there are about 54 GNSS satellites (out of 800+ other satellites floating in space) that are available to us.

All four GNSS's are said to be interoperable with each other, or at least, that's the goal.

And oh FWIW, "GNSS" is the de facto generic term to call the system. We just got accustomed to call it simply "GPS".... like "Colgate".

http://www.insidegnss.com/node/1389

[LloydV]

In total, there are about 54 GNSS satellites (out of 800+ other satellites floating in space) that are available to us.

All four GNSS's are said to be interoperable with each other, or at least, that's the goal.

And oh FWIW, "GNSS" is the de facto generic term to call the system. We just got accustomed to call it simply "GPS".... like "Colgate".

http://www.insidegnss.com/node/1389

nice read!

a word about "here are about 54 GNSS satellites (out of 800+ other satellites floating in space) that are available to us." though...

galileo and compass are not exactly "ready"... and while glonass is (not fully, but) operational, to be able to utilize it requires a glonass receiver or a gps & glonass receiver which our common garmins are not...

which is to say that referring to our devices and the satellites they use as "gps" is actually quite accurate.