Relativistic positioning systems: perspectives and prospects
- Bartolomé Coll
Universitat de València
Relativistic positioning systems are interesting technical objects for applications around the Earth and in the Solar system. But above all else, they are basic scientific objects allowing to develop relativity from their own concepts. Past and future features of relativistic positioning systems, with special attention to the developments that they suggest for an epistemic relativity (experimental approach to relativistic physics), are analyzed. This includes relativistic stereometry, which, together with relativistic positioning systems, allow to perform the general relativistic notion of laboratory (space-time region able to receive experiments of finite size).