GPS History
Following the shooting down of Korean Air Lines Flight 007 in 1983, President Ronald Reagan issued a directive making the system available for free for civilian use as a common good.
Since then, GPS has become a widely used aid to navigation worldwide, and a useful tool for map-making, land surveying, commerce, and scientific uses.
GPS also provides a precise time reference used in many applications including scientific study of earthquakes, and synchronization of telecommunications networks.
