Namhlanje, siyithatha nje kancinci into yokuba isixhobo esincinci epokothweni yethu sinokukhomba indawo yethu ngqo naphi na emhlabeni. Kodwa i-Global Positioning System (GPS) yayisenziwa amashumi eminyaka, yazalwa ngenxa yoxinezeleko lweMfazwe yoMlo kunye nogqatso lweSikhathi.
Ukuphefumlelwa kweSputnik
Ngowe-1957, iSoviet Union yasungula iSputnik, isathelayithi yokuqala eyenziweyo. Izazinzulu zaseMelika ezilandela umkhondo we-Sputnik zaqaphela into enomdla: ngenxa yesiphumo se-Doppler, ukuphindaphinda kwemiqondiso yerediyo yesathelayithi yatshintsha njengoko isondela kwaye isiya kude. Baye baqonda ukuba xa beyazi eyona ndawo bakuyo eMhlabeni, banokwenza imephu yokujikeleza kwesathelayithi. Okona kubaluleke ngakumbi, ukuba bebeyazi eyona ndlela yesathelayithi, banokufumanisa eyona ndawo bakuyo eMhlabeni.
Iprojekthi yoMkhosi
Kuyo yonke iminyaka yoo-1960 kunye nee-1970, iSebe lezoKhuselo laseMelika laphuhlisa lo mbono waba yinkqubo eyomeleleyo eyayibizwa ngokuba yiNavstar GPS. Yayiyilelwe ukunceda umkhosi ukuba ujolise ngokuchanekileyo imijukujelwa, ukulungelelanisa iintshukumo zomkhosi, kunye nokuhamba ngeenqanawa kunye neenqwelomoya. Isathelayithi yokuqala esebenzayo yeGPS yasungulwa ngo-1978.
Ukufikelela koLuntu kunye "nokuKhetha ukuFumana"
Ngo-1983, ijethi yabakhweli yaseKorea yadutyulwa emva kokubhadula ngempazamo kwisithuba somoya saseSoviet ngenxa yempazamo yokuhamba. Ukuphendula, uMongameli uRonald Reagan wayalela ukuba iGPS yenziwe ifumaneke ukuze isetyenziswe ngabantu ukunqanda iintlekele ezizayo.
Nangona kunjalo, umkhosi wonakalise ngabom umqondiso woluntu kwinkqubo eyaziwa ngokuba yi "Selective Availability," isenza iGPS yabemi ingachanekanga malunga neemitha ezili-100. Zange kube ngunyaka wama-2000 apho uMongameli uBill Clinton wayalela umkhosi ukuba ucime ukuFumana okuKhethekileyo, ngoko nangoko wenza i-GPS yabahlali ichaneke amaxesha ali-10 ngakumbi.
Ixesha langoku
Ukususwa kokuFumana okuKhethekileyo kubangele inguqu kwezobuchwepheshe. Ivumele ukuyilwa kweenkqubo zokujonga imoto enye nenye, iiapps ezisekelwe kwindawo ye-smartphone, iinkonzo zokwabelana ngokukhwela ezifana ne-Uber, kunye nezixhobo zendawo esizisebenzisayo namhlanje kwiiwebhusayithi ezifana ne-LocalAtual.