Plain English Meaning

GPS is built from three parts working together: the satellites in space, the ground stations that keep those satellites accurate, and the receivers people actually use, including the one in the aircraft.

Full Definition

The three functional parts that make the Global Positioning System work: the space segment (the constellation of GPS satellites in orbit), the control segment (the ground stations that monitor and manage those satellites), and the user segment (the GPS receivers in aircraft, ships, vehicles, and handheld devices that use the satellite signals to determine position, time, and velocity).

Context Anchor

Seen when studying how GPS navigation works in instrument flying, especially before using GPS for or .