Together, these two systems, maybe a third, create the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS).
Even though the primary purposes for both the Soviet and American global satellite systems was military guidance the system’s benefit for everyday purposes soon became obvious and was therefore released to the public*.
· Companies can pinpoint the location of their delivery trucks;
· Boat owners can navigate with the comfort of knowing their exact position at any given moment; and
· A husband will never have to ask for directions and his wife will never have to read a map again with a GPS-equipped automobile.
Because of the tremendous economic and security advantages, both US and Russian governments decided to allow civilian use of the satellite signals. Today, anybody can use the information transmitted by the Global Navigation Satellite Systems.*