PreservedUpdated 7/11/2026
Early GPS Prototype Receiver
Made by Rockwell International1978Iowa, United States
An experimental Navstar GPS receiver built by Rockwell during the Block I demonstration program, before GPS became public infrastructure. Fewer than a dozen Block I satellites were in orbit when receivers of this type proved that meter-scale global positioning was possible.
Provenance
1978
Built for Block I demonstration program
documented
1989
Declared surplus
attributed
2019
Acquired by current collector
documented
2026
Digitally preserved in Relic
confirmed
Current Custodian
New England, United States
Access Matrix
- Digital viewingpublic
- Additional photographsby request
- Remote video inspectionavailable
- Research visitowner approval
- Temporary research loancase by_case
- Museum exhibition loanavailable
- Scientific samplingnot permitted
- Commercial licensingcontact owner
Record Metadata
CategoryScientific Instruments
MaterialsAluminum chassis, monochrome CRT, rubber keypad
Dimensions48 × 35 × 22 cm
Weight21 kg
ConditionGood; powers on, oscillator drift present
Digital Record
24 high-res images (8,192 × 6,144)
3D Mesh / Photogrammetry
Precise digital measurements
Doc. Score: 68/100Scanned 8/30/2026
Cite this object
Relic Archive. (1978). Early GPS Prototype Receiver [Object record]. Relic Object RL-1978-000771.