GPS, GPS pioneer Roger L. Easton inducted into National Inventors Hall of Fame
By Donald Melanson 
posted April 1st 2010 2:06PM
posted April 1st 2010 2:06PM
Well, it looks like it's the season for pioneering inventors to be honored, with Chuck Thacker's recent Turing Award win now followed up by Roger L. Easton's induction into the National Inventors Hall of Fame. Pictured at left above, Easton started working at the Naval Research Laboratory in 1943, and later helped develop MINITRACK, the very first satellite tracking system, which in turn led to the concept Easton dubbed TIMATION (short for "time navigation"). That was used to aid in the launch of four experimental satellites over the course of the 1960s and 1970s, the last of which was the first satellite to fly in the GPS 12-hour orbit and the first transmit GPS signals. In fact, the relativistic offset correction Easton applied to that satellite is still used by every GPS satellite now in orbit, and it also helped to experimentally verify Einstein's theory of relativity for good measure. Easton didn't call it quits when he left the lab, however, and eventually served two terms in the New Hampshire State Assembly, and even ran for Governor in 1986.
He deserved it
@wolverine
pretty sure that's why he got in
@rutter9
A lot of inventors of great stuff were looking to get this prize. Fortunately, Roger Easton had GPS, that's why his prize wasn't lost.
@wolverine
You have reached your destination.
Congrats Roger!!!!
Innovation always deserves to win.
Boooooring.......
@Mister Warmth
You apparently stumbled onto the wrong website.
@Mister Warmth
Yes. I have to agree with you there; I much prefer the article on your introduction to The National Inventors Hall of Fame, Oh ... Wait a minute.
Nice picture
Elaborate on:
"the relativistic offset correction Easton applied to that satellite"
Thanks.
@(Unverified)
GPS relies on accurately knowing the time on a particular satellite and its location (your GPS device compares the time three different satellites transmit to it and works out how far you're from them based on the delay the signal took to get to you). According to the special theory of relativity, clocks in moving objects tick slower than ones that are stationary. The general theory of relativity says that gravity affects the time as well. Both of these need to be adjusted for, otherwise the GPS device will think the location is different than what it is.
@JS
damn beat me to it, clocks have to run at different speeds in orbit
All of us geocachers should celebrate this man! Thanks dude!
Unknowingly, he also obsoleted the genre of movies where the gang takes the wrong exit off the highway and experiences weird stuff, usually involving human blood.
@CompleteShortStories
Yeah, its not common that people follow their GPS blindly and get lost somewhere on a dirt road or run into a lake.
Oh wait...
Glad he found his way there.
@thaprinze
... rimshot? Lol