Thinkstock
Mwrf 5972 Gps40yrs
Mwrf 5972 Gps40yrs
Mwrf 5972 Gps40yrs
Mwrf 5972 Gps40yrs
Mwrf 5972 Gps40yrs

40 Years Later, GPS Still Going Strong

July 26, 2017
Rockwell Collins celebrates a milestone anniversary.

Download this article as a .PDF

Earlier this year, Rockwell Collins celebrated the 40th anniversary of receiving the world’s first Global Positioning System (GPS) satellite signal, establishing a new standard in navigation and location accuracy. The first GPS satellite was known as NYS-2, and the signal was received by a Rockwell Collins engineer, David Van Dusseldorp, sitting on the roof of a company building in Cedar Rapids, Ia. and adjusting an antenna every five minutes.

Retirees involved in the project, including Van Dusseldorp, were invited back to commemorate the event. “We had leaders and team members working together, and I knew we could meet the challenge put before us,” he recalled. “The future of GPS was uncertain at the time, but I really felt like we had just accomplished something important.”

Soon after receiving the signal, Rockwell Collins was awarded the Navstar GPS user equipment contract by the U.S. Air Force, and the company would build upon that to become a leader in GPS technology and products for aerospace and defense. Since that historic day 40 years ago, Rockwell Collins has introduced more than 50 GPS products, including GPS anti-jam and precision landing systems. It has delivered more than one million GPS receivers for commercial avionics and government applications, helping shape how the world navigates both on the ground and in the air.

Sponsored Recommendations

Frequency Modulation Fundamentals

March 14, 2024
The development of crystal-clear FM communications was an innovation of genius and toil. Utilized today in applications such as radar, seismology, telemetry and two-way radios...

44 GHz Programmable Signal Generator

March 14, 2024
The Mini-Circuits SSG-44G-RC is a 0.1 to 44 GHz signal source with an RF output range of -40 to +17 dBm with fine resolution. This model supports CW and pulsed (? 0.5 ?s) outputs...

50W SSPA with Built-In Signal Source & Control

March 14, 2024
The RFS-2G42G5050X+ takes Mini-Circuits robust line of solid state, connectorized, high-power amplifiers for RF energy to a new level by integrating the versatility of a signal...

Webinar: Introduction to OTA Measurement for mmWave and Sub-THz

Feb. 19, 2024
Join Jeanmarc Laurent, a leading expert from MilliBox, for an exclusive live webinar showcasing a complete Over-the-Air (OTA) testing system setup. In this immersive session, ...