The Cold War drove the next
leaps in mapping technology.
The launch of Sputnik sparked
the development of GPS when
MIT scientists realized they
could track the Soviet satellite
from the ground by observing
how its radio signal changed as
it moved, and likewise, objects
on Earth could be located based
on their distance from satellites.
Early satellite navigationGOOGLE EARTH,
MAPS, AND
STREET VIEW
experiments were developed by
the U.S. military to track inter-
continental missiles in the
1960s. And by the early 1970s,
the military launched the first
Global Positioning System,
NAVSTAR, which could deter-
mine precise spatial coordinates
for anywhere on Earth. Today a
full constellation of GPS satel-
lites (about 27) circles the globe
twice a day, transmitting radiosignals. When an object on
Earth’s surface receives a sig-
nal from at least three satellites,
its precise geographic coordi-
nates can be determined within
centimeters.
In 2000, the Department
of Defense lifted its policy of
degrading the accuracy of its
GPS tracking for civilian use.
From the ensuing technology
boom, Google emerged with a
trio of products—Earth, Maps,
and Street View—that together
created the most complete world
map.
Released in 2005, Google
Earth provided an interactive,
3D image of the globe formed
from millions of overlapping
satellite photographs overlaid
on a 3D digital earth. Close-up
3D details are added from aerial
images that capture the depth of
buildings and terrain.
Started in 2006 with vans
driving around six major U.S.
cities with GPS sensors and
multi-lens cameras mounted
on top, Google Street View rec-
reates the Earth from eye level.
In 2017 the Street View cameras
were updated with laser scan-
ners that record the dimensions
and depth of the objects being
photographed to create a 3D
view along the way. These cam-
eras, aided by crowdsourced
data and machine learning,
have mapped millions of miles
of roads across 87 countries
on all seven continents. Com-
bined with Maps, Street View
and Earth literally put the world
in billions of people’s hands. It
is now possible to navigate and
explore nearly anywhere on
Earth—try Everest Base Camp
or Rome’s Coliseum—with a
G click and zoom.
OO
GL
E^ S
TR
EE
T^ V
IEW
THE WORLD, IN YOUR POCKET
◀ Visit Machu
Picchu via Google
Earth and hike
the Inca Trail with
Street View.