The True Story of the Origins of GPS: Brad Parkinson Delivers an Oral history of the program and its early heroes

Bradford W. Parkinson, the first GPS Program Office director, chief architect, and advocate for GPS, relates "The True Story of the Origins of the Global Positioning System" and pays tribute to many of the people he worked with during that time.

Does Harry Ramsden's deserve its reputation as the best fish and chips in the world? Difficult to say. They were good, but not the best I've ever eaten. And they were not cheap. The best thing I can say is that stepping back into history was something I wouldn't have missed. The worst thing I can say is that we probably won't be calling again. Harry Ramsden's is a bit of history I feel comfortable about leaving behind.Three years later, Harry was so successful he opened Britain's first fish and chip 'palace' right next door to the shack where it all started.(From left) Sherman Lo, Stanford; Dennis Akos, U. Colorado/ CSR; Mikel Miller, U.S. Air Force, ION president; Tomoya Shibata, Copla Corp.; Hiroshi Nishiguchi, Japan GPS Council; John Wilde, DW International; Carl Andren, ION; Donna Reay, Galileo Supervisory Authority; Hermann Ebner, European Commission, Galileo Unit; Attila Komjathy, JPL; Thomas Pany, iFen GmbH; Chamjnda Basnyake, GM; Tom Nagle, GPS Wing.The bedrooms, some of which have their own terrace, have CD players, giant TVs, free internet and fluffy bathrobes.Tribute to Ivan GettingWhile you're there If you tire of wandering around the harbourside admiring the speedboats and watching the fishermen, the spectacular nature reserve on Brownsea Island is just a short ferry trip away in the centre of Poole Harbour.Where and why In a quiet cobbled street just yards from the fishing boats in Poole's bustling harbour, this 18th century former merchant's house is now a spectacular 49-bedroom hotel.A slide from Parkinson's presentation, which drew from previously classififed reports as early as 1964-66. A text version of his history lesson will appear in an upcoming GPS World magazine.Keynote speaker Brad Parkinson with the evening's hostess, publisher Kristina Panter. Greg Turetzky of SiRF Technology shows off his newest chip to Javad Ashjaee and Tom Hunter of JAVAD GNSS; Col. David Goldstein, GPS Wing, converses with Art Gower of Lockheed Martin and Len Jacobson, Global Systems and Marketing (both members of GPS World's Advisory Board).Built in 1776, it's been a Seaman's Mission in the Second World War and the Mansion House hotel, but became the latest of Hotel du Vin's boutique chain in late 2008.

* While not directly involved in the GPS development, continued strong advocacy in the Pentagon 1973-1978