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How Professor Bradford Parkinson and his team developed GPS: the Global Positioning System.

The digital world only works if it is connected. In the early 1970s, Professor Bradford Parkinson was working with the United States Air Force as an engineer leading the team that developed the Global Positioning System, or GPS, which uses satellites to pinpoint users wherever they are. Sixteen-year-old Malak from Israel finds out from Professor Parkinson how it all came about, and why he still uses maps to sail by.

Producer: Tamsin Barber.

World Wise Web is a co-production between BBC World Service and BBC Rewind.
Music composed by Nick Thorburn

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10 minutes

Last on

Mon 3 Feb 202004:50GMT
BBC World Service Australasia, Americas and the Caribbean & East Asia only

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Two handheld GPS devices (Credit: George Wilhelm/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

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  • Sat 1 Feb 202005:50GMT
    BBC World Service Online, UK DAB/Freeview, News Internet & West and Central Africa only
  • Sat 1 Feb 202018:50GMT
    BBC World Service except Europe and the Middle East & News Internet
  • Sun 2 Feb 202005:50GMT
    BBC World Service Europe and the Middle East
  • Sun 2 Feb 202015:50GMT
    BBC World Service Europe and the Middle East & News Internet only
  • Mon 3 Feb 202000:50GMT
    BBC World Service South Asia
  • Mon 3 Feb 202002:50GMT
    BBC World Service East and Southern Africa
  • Mon 3 Feb 202004:50GMT
    BBC World Service Australasia, Americas and the Caribbean & East Asia only

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  • World Wise Web

    Teenagers talk to technology pioneers who have shaped their lives