The Global Positioning Satellite System has 3 basic parts that make the system functional. These are called segments and comprise the whole process of data requesting, data transmission, data processing and data retrieval. These three segments are the user segment, the space segment and the control segment. Without the other, the system will not work. It is a simple, yet purely segment-dependent system.

The space segment is probably one of the most expensive and highly advanced of the three. This segment consists of a net of twenty four satellites that make a routine orbit around the whole planet. Each satellite is specifically located eleven thousand nautical miles in the earth’s outer layer, and have their own orbits to follow. Orbits take 12 earth hours, and each satellite is equipped with an atomic clock that synchronizes both data transmission and space allowance between each satellite to prevent bumping towards each other and to also prevent service localization.

The control segment entails various ground stations located in different parts of the world. These are observation towers or radio towers that continuously transmit data from various satellites that pass by the area. Some of these locations are located in Hawaii, at the Kwajalein. Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean, the Ascension Island located in the Atlantic, Cape Canaveral in Florida, and one more in Colorado. There are other large ground antenna stations that send data for monitoring purposes to keep the satellites in working order. The master station for all the ground segments is located in Colorado, in the Schriever Air Force Base.

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