Space, GPS & MapsSatellite Navigation
How GPS Finds You
Your phone listens to satellites' clocks and does the math
The blue dot knows where you stand, within a few steps. No satellite is watching you. So who works out where you are?
You'll find out
- What a GPS satellite actually sends
- Why a tiny clock slip means miles
- Why the blue dot gets lost indoors
Why it matters
Maps, rides, planes and ships steer by the same faint ticks from space. Phone networks and power grids lean on them too.
Play this lesson
Free to play in your browser or on iPhone