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Why did the United States first develop the Navstar GPS system?

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GPS satellite — GPS U.S. Navstar Global Positioning System (GPS) satellite in orbit over Earth, shown in an artist's conception.

The United States Department of Defense initiated the development of the Navstar Global Positioning System in 1973 primarily to support military activities.123

While earlier satellite systems like the U.S. Navy’s Transit were developed to assist with the positioning of submarines carrying ballistic missiles, they were limited by lower accuracy and were unsuitable for the navigation of aircraft and spacecraft. The U.S. government sought a more robust, second-generation solution that could provide highly accurate, continuous, and three-dimensional positioning, navigation, and timing data for military operations.23

Although the system was designed for military use, it has since evolved into a global utility that provides essential services to a vast array of civilian sectors, including aviation, maritime transport, and personal navigation.13