Gladys West "I've got to get this right": A life of achievements that underpin GPS

It has been said that Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) technology exists because of two people, namely Albert Einstein and Gladys West. Such a statement may be considered rhetorical but does convey the huge contribution that Gladys West made to geodesy that underpins all Global Navigation Satellite Systems.

Gladys West played a crucial role in developing mathematical models from early altimeter satellite missions that precisely described the Earth as a geoid rather than a perfect sphere. Her work involved complex calculations and early computer programming to process satellite data. These models made it possible to determine locations on Earth with high precision, a core requirement for GPS technology.

Modern GPS systems use Gladys West’s models through updated Earth‑shape and gravity frameworks that underpin satellite orbits, geoid corrections, and global reference coordinate without which today’s centimetre‑level accuracy is not possible.

As she said: “When you’re working every day, you’re not thinking, ‘What impact is this going to have on the world?’ You’re thinking, ‘I’ve got to get this right.’”

This year's EGR Taylor lecture seeks to do justice to Gladys West including her early life and studies, her time at Dahlgren, description of the scientific models she developed, the recognition she received later on and the impact of her work.

About the speaker

Philip Moore is Emeritus Professor of Space Geodesy at Newcastle University, where he spent over two decades as a leading member of the Geomatics group.

His research focused on the mathematical and computational foundations of satellite-based Earth observation, with particular emphasis on precise satellite orbit determination, satellite altimetry, gravity field recovery from missions such as GRACE and GOCE and applications of GNSS and altimetry to sea-level change, inland waters, hydrology, and cryospheric mass balance.

Moore’s contributions to satellite radar altimetry include improving the accuracy, calibration, and geophysical interpretation of altimeter measurements over oceans, coasts, inland waters, and ice‑covered regions. Much of this work is cross-disciplinary involving orbital mechanics, geodesy, and Earth system science.

Please note: The views of our speakers do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the Royal Geographical Society.

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