What are the main components of a GPS system?

The main components of a GPS system include satellites, control stations, and receivers.

Satellites are essential as they transmit signals from space that are used to determine the positions of receivers on the ground. These satellites are placed in orbit and continuously send out their location and the precise time the signal was sent.

Control stations are critical for managing and monitoring the satellites. They ensure that the satellites are functioning correctly, update their orbital information, and send corrections to any inaccuracies that might occur.

Receivers are the devices that utilize the signals from the satellites to calculate their own position. By receiving signals from multiple satellites, a GPS receiver triangulates its location through time differences in the signals received.

The integration of these three components—satellites for positioning data, control stations for the health and maintenance of the satellite system, and receivers for interpreting the signals—forms the backbone of a functioning GPS system. Other options mention components that do not accurately describe the essential framework of GPS technology.