The armed forces know that a technological edge is the key to dominance—in industry as well as battle. After launching the first Global Positioning System satellites in 1978, the U.S. Air Force today controls the more than 30 GPS satellites that keep precise time world-wide, enable navigation, and guide the “blue dot” on your phone. What began as a government asset has spawned countless commercial applications, enabling Wall Street transactions, ATM and credit-card transactions, air-traffic control, and even farm equipment that plants seeds in precise rows.

Source: Wall Street Journal November 17, 2019 19:18 UTC