Francis X . Kane Colonel Francis " Duke " Xavier Kane , Ph . D . , USAF , retired , ( December 12 , 1918 - July 18 , 2013 ) is the space planner and engineer responsible for the design concept of the Global Positioning System ( GPS ) . Colonel Kane was General Bernard A . Schriever ' s Chief for Space and Ballistic Missile Planning at the U . S . Air Force Systems Command from 1961 - 1970 . Colonel Kane was a participant in Project Forecast ( 1963 – 1964 ) . Project Forecast was the longest range technology forecast undertaken by the U . S . military prior to 1963 . Project forecast contemplated the strategic technological environment of 1975 and the requirements for U . S . advancements in air , space , missile and computer technology . In 1963 , the Air Force Space Systems Division funded Colonel Kane to lead a classified project known as 621B . Phase I of 621B was for the engineering concept for a " space - based navigation system " that would later become known as the Global Positioning System ( GPS / NAVSTAR ) . According to Colonel Brad Parkinson ( USAF , retired ) , Project 621B had " many of the attributes that you now see in GPS . It has probably never been given its due credit . " Colonel Kane formed the 621B team consisting of Air Force engineers and Aerospace corporation contractors in Los Angeles to lay the foundation for GPS development . The concept of operations established in Phase I was for a space - based system enabling 3 - dimensional location ( longitude , latitude , and altitude ) globally , in all weather , at all times transmitting on a frequency established by the Scientific Advisory Board . The satellites use a time - differ - ence - of - arrival concept using precise satellite posi - tion and on - board atomic clocks to continuouslygenerate navigation messages that can be receivedby users anywhere on Earth . The engineering concept addressed that a minimum of 24 satellites would be required for global coverage , at an altitude of 10 , 000 nautical miles , at 55 degrees inclination , and powered by hybrid solar and battery energy sources . From 1964 to 1966 , several Aerospace corporation team members made outstanding contributions to GPS studies on the U . S . Air Force 621B team led by Colonel Kane . " These men included of Phil Diamonds , Peter W . Soule , James B . Woodford , Alfred Bogen , Richard Dutcher , Howard F . Marx , and Hideyoshi Nakamura . It was Nakamura and some of his coworkers who suggested that range measurements for an aircraft should be calculated using signals from four satellites . The aircraft ' s crewmembers could then obtain a three - dimensional position by measuring four distinct differences in the signals ' arrival times and then adding these to a clock connected to a quartz oscillator . Each satellite would also have its own clock , which would be updated continuously by ground signals . In essence , this was the operational concept that eventually led to GPS as it is known today . " In 1967 , under Phase II of 621B , system design , Colonel Kane and a team from TRW refined the concept of operation , performed engineering design for multiple systems , began test programs for receivers , conceptualized satellite control and operations including on - orbit tracking ( satellite / star tracking ) , and preliminary design of the GPS satellites . For his role in space technology development and the engineering design concept of GPS , Colonel Kane was inducted into the U . S . Air Force Space and Missile Pioneers Hall of Fame at Lackland A . F . B . , San Antonio , Texas , March 2 , 2010 . Colonel Kane ' s role in space systems development is authenticated by the U . S . Air Force Space and Missile Command including : " Concepts forwarded by Colonel Kane during the 1960s included space - based missile warning ( Defense Support Program ) , space - based missile defense , manned maneuvering reentry vehicles ( Space Shuttle ) , detection and attack of mobile missiles , laser anti - satellite weapons [ ASAT ] , the advanced ballistic missile ( MX or Peacekeeper ) , and a navigation satellite ( NAVSTAR / GPS ) system . " Colonel Kane ' s role in U . S . national competitiveness , innovation and security is one of planner , design engineer , and technology strategist . He conceptualized a systems approach to space planning that provided a platform upon which General Schriever executed a high technology defense strategy to build the U . S . Air Force space and missile capability — ushering in the Space Age . The book " Strategy of Technology " ( 1970 ) sets forth the doctrine flowing from the early plans developed by Project Forecast and the development and deployment of the Intercontinental Ballistic Missile ( ICBM ) system . Initially , Kane was unnamed in the 1970 publication of the book . Stefan T . Possony and Jerry Pournelle were able to later add Colonel Kane ' s attribution in 1972 after he retired ( 1970 ) . The strategy of technology doctrine is exemplified by opponents ' economies failing to keep pace with investments in high technology countermeasures . The doctrine is exemplified by a systems approach to engineering , science and acquisition . During the summer of 2011 Duke collaborated with his friend Hu Davis ( SolarHigh . org and Vehicle Manager Lunar Capsule 5 , " Eagle " , Apollo 11 ) and a group of high school students led by Evan Gray from RAM STEM Academy in San Antonio , Texas on the future of space exploration including Space - Based Solar Power , Lunar , and Mars missions . During the “ Solar Summer of 2011 ” , Duke led the high school team through a process that yielded the following thinking about the future : The “ cloud ” ( cyber ) and space are energy . The rockets , satellites , receiving stations , electrical grid , cars , homes and businesses that consume space - based solar power are all robots . Thus , space - based solar power is one platform ( the cloud ) for energy , computing , communications , and robotics : Cloud 2 . 0 . Duke ’ s intellectual gift was a deep and impassioned ability to think , dream , imagine , question , reason , plan , and share his vision so that others could carry these designs into the future . One of Duke ' s greatest concerns in his last days of work was the promotion of “ creativity ” and “ collaboration ” in the context of all that we do : from primary school education to international cooperation in cyber / space . For Duke , creativity and collaboration are the two most important qualities to engender in our pursuit of national security and economic competitiveness . Duke ’ s legacy of creativity and collaboration is all around us : From the freedom we enjoy everyday to the boom of hypersonic flight ; however , for Duke his greatest achievement was in creating the Global Positioning System ( GPS / NAVSTAR ) so that we can all find our way home .