B2CEFRReading18 min

Reading: Satellites, GPS and Space Technology

Satellites, GPS and space technology

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IELTS Academic Reading 18 Mins Level B2

Satellites, GPS and Space Technology

Practice reading comprehension using authentic official data and critical writer analysis.

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i How to use this lesson

For Teachers

Use this 18-minute self-contained activity for IELTS reading training in class or as homework. Direct students to read the pinned passage first and verify answers using the detailed evidence callouts.

For Learners

Read Paragraphs A to D thoroughly before answering the questions. Work through all 10 questions in order and study the explanation boxes to check your understanding.

Reading Passage

Global Navigation Systems and Their History

4 Paragraphs (A–D)

AGPS.gov, the US government's website for GPS, says that GPS satellites fly at an altitude of approximately 20,200 km. Each satellite circles the Earth twice a day. The United States promises to keep at least 24 working GPS satellites in orbit for 95 percent of the time. With this many satellites, users can see at least four of them from almost any point on the planet.

BNASA says that the Soviet Union launched Sputnik 1 on 4 October 1957. The satellite weighed 83.6 kg and was about the size of a beach ball. It carried a transmitter that sent a "beep-beep" signal, and observers around the world could follow it. Its batteries ran out on 26 October, and it fell back into the atmosphere on 4 January 1958.

CThe European Space Agency says that Galileo is Europe's own global navigation satellite system, and that it works under civilian control. Most of its satellites orbit at an altitude of 23,222 km. Two control centres on the ground in Europe look after the system.

DThese facts seem to show that satellite navigation needs many satellites working together, and I think the dates suggest how fast the technology moved, from a single 83.6 kg satellite in 1957 to systems with many satellites. The figure of 24 is a promise to keep, not a count of satellites, and the facts here come from only three organisations, so they do not show how well a receiver works in every place.

An artwork showing GPS and Galileo satellites orbiting planet Earth in deep space with illuminated orbital trajectories

Key Vocabulary in Context:

Altitude: Height above sea level/Earth.
Orbit: Curved path around a planet.
Transmitter: Device sending radio signals.
Civilian control: Managed by non-military leaders.

Sentence Pattern Spotlight

Expressing Personal Reflection on Facts

"What I find amazing is how small a modern receiver has become."

Why this works: Notice how the sentence begins by highlighting a personal feeling before delivering the core factual information. This structure emphasizes your perspective effectively in writing tasks.

Questions 1–10

Complete each section below based on the reading passage.

Questions 1–3

Do the following statements agree with the views of the writer in the Reading Passage?

YES: if the statement agrees with the views of the writer

NO: if the statement contradicts the views of the writer

NOT GIVEN: if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about this

1. The writer states that the number 24 represents the total count of GPS satellites currently in space.

____ YES ____ NO ____ NOT GIVEN

2. GPS receivers experience signal loss more frequently in polar regions than near the equator.

____ YES ____ NO ____ NOT GIVEN

3. The writer believes that space navigation technology has advanced rapidly since the late 1950s.

____ YES ____ NO ____ NOT GIVEN

Questions 4–6

Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.

4. According to GPS.gov, how many satellites can a user typically observe from almost anywhere on Earth?

____ a. At least 24 working satellites ____ b. Exactly two satellites ____ c. Up to 95 satellites ____ d. At least four satellites

5. When did Sputnik 1 stop transmitting its radio signal?

____ a. 4 October 1957 ____ b. 4 January 1958 ____ c. 26 October 1957 ____ d. 95 days after launch

6. What sets the Galileo system apart according to the European Space Agency?

____ a. It flies at an altitude of 20,200 km ____ b. It operates under civilian control ____ c. It relies on three ground control centres ____ d. It was launched in 1957