# GPS Satellites

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gps-satellites/678788>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [January 14, 2014, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gps-satellites/678788 "2014-01-14T15:41:52Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Francis\_Vaughan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/francis_vaughan/32/3093_2.png) [@Francis\_Vaughan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Francis_Vaughan)\
**Post date:** [January 15, 2014, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gps-satellites/678788/21 "2014-01-15T05:21:46Z")

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> [@Reply](#):
>
> I thought this was due to [artificial export restrictions placed on US-sold receivers](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_Positioning_System#Restrictions_on_civilian_use) to prevent them from being used in long-distance guided munitions, rather than any inherent trait of the receiver.

Both. If you want to be able to export a GPS (or even import one that is made overseas) it must not be able to operate at the prohibited altitude and speed. You can make one, but you can’t export it, and may generally have a lot of trouble selling it. So, clearly the answer to actually being able to make any money, is to to internally disable the capability, which is what all the manufacturers do. As I noted, different manufactures implement the “and” in the velocity and altitude restriction differently.

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