06/05/2026
๐๐ฐ๏ธ Aerospace Fun Fact: GPS Works Because Scientists Account for Time Travel! โฐ
Did you know your phoneโs GPS would be off by several miles each day if engineers didnโt account for effects predicted by Albert Einsteinโs Theory of Relativity?
GPS satellites orbit Earth at roughly 12,550 miles (20,200 km) above the surface and experience time differently than clocks on Earth. Because of their speed and their distance from Earthโs gravity, the satellite clocks gain about 38 microseconds per day compared to clocks on the ground.
That may sound insignificant, but without correcting for this difference, GPS positioning errors would accumulate by more than 6 miles (10 km) every day!
Every time you use GPS navigation, aerospace engineers and physicists are relying on principles discovered over a century ago to keep you on the right path.
Explore the science and engineering that make modern aerospace technology possible through White Eagle Aerospaceโs online courses:
https://www.whiteeagleaerospace.com/online-self-paced-course-offerings/