{"id":12861,"date":"2015-07-31T13:38:34","date_gmt":"2015-07-31T13:38:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/yaabot.com\/?p=12861"},"modified":"2024-01-22T21:13:09","modified_gmt":"2024-01-22T15:43:09","slug":"time-dilation-our-satellites-are-traveling-through-time","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/entropymag.co\/time-dilation-our-satellites-are-traveling-through-time\/","title":{"rendered":"Time Dilation: Our Satellites Are Traveling Through Time"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
Relativity<\/span> is more than a hundred years old. The year 2015 was the International Year of Light. The title isn’t exaggerated focus – Relativity effects our daily life in fundamental ways. Einstein’s Relativity theory essentially tells us that all our satellites in outer space are travelling through time. <\/em>The proper term for this is time dilation. If not kept in check, the satellites would basically travel to the future, technically.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Let’s focus on navigational satellites (popularly, but incorrectly referred to as ‘GPS’). The Global Navigation Satellite System is possible because of Relativity. In other words, the theory is why GPS or GLONASS always provide spot-on location.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Satellite navigation systems are obviously, based in space, where the influence of factors like time dilation comes into play. A collection of satellites in space provides independent geo-spatial positioning. These satellites communicate along unobstructed line-of-sight with electronic receivers on Earth. The receivers synchronize with these satellites and thereby give an extremely precise position. Any satellite navigation system with global coverage is termed as Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS).<\/p>\n\n\n\n The GPS (Global Positioning System) was developed by The United States of America, and the GLONASS (by Russia). IRNSS (Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System) by India, BDS (BeiDou Navigation Satellite System) by China and Galileo by Europe are some other national level systems.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\nWhat is the Global Navigation Satellite System? <\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n