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As a survivor of the Cold War, I can’t help but feel there is something missing these days without the Soviet Menace. I mean, the Soviets, despite being the alleged evil empire, did prompt us to shift into gear on more than one occasion. Before the Eagle had landed, the Soviets had already sent a satellite and an astronaut into space. Not bad. Anything that could whip Ike into a tizzy is worth mentioning. He quickly called for the creation of both NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) and DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) in 1958.

Declaring “For the Benefit of All,” NASA moved quickly, launching the Explorer 1 satellite on January 31, 1958. Led by the former head of the German rocket program, Wernher von Braun, NASA immediately began to explore the possibility of sending human beings into space. Dubbed Project Mercury, this program involved seven original astronauts, of whom, Alan Shepard became the first American into space, while John Glenn would become the first American to orbit the earth.

But this did not mean we had achieved space supremacy. With the Space Race underway, NASA began implementing a new tracking system, called the Global Positioning System (GPS). The system involved the use of satellites to track the position and location of both spacecraft and intercontinental ballistic missiles. Initially developed by the Navy, the first successful GPS tracking system was dubbed Transit, and used five satellites to triangulate positions around the globe.

In 1983, the GPS system, which had been used exclusively by the military, would be unleashed on the private sector. In that year, a Soviet interceptor aircraft shot down the civilian Korean Air airliner KAL 007, killing all 269 people on board. The plane had strayed into Soviet airspace and although the Soviet had probable cause to destroy the perceived threat, it was determined had the airliner had accurate navigational systems, the tragedy could have been avoided. President Ronald Reagan subsequently announced that civilians and civilian agencies should have access to the GPS tracking systems.

From the Space Race to racing down the highway, a GPS system is guiding us. Not only has it become the preeminent navigational system for cars, but the scientific community has used it to track wild and domestic animals and migration patterns. Law enforcement uses GPS tracking to find stolen cars and keep tabs on criminals on bail or probation. Now, not only can someone find where they are on a city grid, but also he or she can find nearby businesses and restaurants. The uses, and the wonders, never end.

If you are keen on finding a reliable GPS tracking system, you need look no further than sub-orbital space — and the Internet.

Global positioning systems — referred to as GPS tracking systems — were the invention and exclusive tool of the U.S. military. They initially consisted of a series of satellites that would triangular the location, speed and distance of inbound and outbound intercontinental ballistic missiles. Yes, GPS systems were our nuclear tracking devices. If you’re a fan of movies like DR. STRANGELOVE or WAR GAMES, then you’re familiar with the convention of blinking missile on a screen being tracked to their target. That’s GPS.

Though it had been in use since the ’60s, it wasn’t until’83 that the system was made available to the private sector. Now, GPS is as ubiquitous as cellphones and email. People are smitten with using the system to navigate, find directions, and even find their friends. Various companies have made the technology available by means of our automobiles, cell phones, even our watches. Additionally, meteorologists use the GPS system to predict, and make it possible to alert people to evacuate certain areas well in advance of approaching storm systems.

In’39, a viable global positioning system was already in use. Of course it did not utilize satellites, rather it used a series of radio relays to pinpoint ships at sea. By’43, a German scientist, Karl Hans Janke, patented the idea of using two satellites positioned at certain points could send electromagnetic signals, using screen vectors, and determine the direction of an object. Each satellite was proposed to send messages at the speed of light to receivers, which would then convert the messages into latitudinal and longitudinal coordinates.

It should be noted that there are some obstacles GPS cannot surmount. Natural phenomenon, like sunspots, meteor showers, and earth-based storms can adversely affect reception. Often, the interference has a more unremarkable culprit. Car defrosters can interrupt the GPS signaling as well as the grade of tint on some windows. Of course, the industry is always troubleshooting and perfecting their signaling systems to circumvent these problems.

Among the first GPS providers in the U.S. were Verizon, Nextel, and Sprint. Soon, services like OnStar and TomTom were folded into the automobile market. The speed with which these GPS advances are developed, and the speed with which companies are incorporating these advances into everyday life, paints a very bright picture for GPS.

Access to an advanced GPS tracking system is as easy as turning your cellphone on. Find directions, find places to eat, and never get lost again.