| In the past few decades, satellites have gone | | | | are training other doctors and nurses in remote |
| from being a piece of space-age technology to a | | | | parts of the world; people are staying in touch |
| part of everyday life. Indeed, you may not even | | | | with family members who live hundreds or even |
| realize all the ways satellites have invaded nearly | | | | thousands of miles away; and businesses are no |
| every single part of your life. However, there is | | | | longer limited to customers who live in driving |
| no denying that these changes have been for the | | | | distance. |
| better. Many of the quality of life improvements | | | | Yet another way in which day to day life in |
| stemming from satellites have been so seamlessly | | | | America has been changed by satellites is through |
| incorporated into daily life that you may not even | | | | satellite TV. With satellite TV, people have access |
| realize the extent of their impact. | | | | to hundreds of channels and television has |
| For example, think about how often you get into | | | | diversified in ways previously unimaginable. There |
| your car without the slightest clue where | | | | are now not only shows dedicated solely to |
| you’re going but with the confidence that | | | | football, for example, but entire TV stations. |
| your trusty GPS system will get you there? | | | | Or, just imagine life without your cell phone. You |
| These GPS systems, once a rarity but now | | | | probably can’t, can you? Think back to the |
| omnipresent, are so familiar that drivers even | | | | days when you had to make plans before leaving |
| give them names and think of them as | | | | the house and those plans were set in stone? Or, |
| passengers in the car. It is hard to imagine the | | | | remember when you were stuck at your home |
| days when drivers used to drive around with a | | | | or your desk if you were waiting for a phone call? |
| host of badly folded maps stuffed into their glove | | | | Of course, not everything about cell phones has |
| compartments and – perish the thought! – | | | | been wonderful- hundreds of pages of articles, |
| stop for directions! | | | | blogs and op-eds have been written about the |
| Another incredible way in which satellites have | | | | annoyance of trying to enjoy a nice dinner while |
| changed the world is through the invention of | | | | the person at the table next to you screams into |
| satellite internet. While cable and DSL are limited in | | | | his cell phone. Cell phones have also turned the |
| the places they can reach, satellite internet is | | | | streets into a public forum where everyone |
| available almost everywhere, no matter how | | | | discusses their private business. However, there is |
| remote the location. Because of this, people in | | | | no denying the life-saving benefits of cell phones if |
| rural areas around the world have access to high | | | | one is lost or in an accident, and for this it seems |
| speed internet as never before. It is hardly an | | | | worth putting up with a few restaurant boors. |
| exageration to say that the accessibility of high | | | | Satellite internet, GPS, cell phones- these are just |
| speed internet is one of the most important | | | | a very few of the ways that satellite technology |
| innovations in the past twenty years. Through | | | | has improved daily life in recent years. Imagine |
| high speed satellite broadband, doctors and nurses | | | | what more is to come! |