Relativistic positioning systems are interesting { \em technical objects} for applications around the Earth and in the Solar system. But above all else, they are basic { \em scientific objects} allowing developing relativity from its own concepts. Some past and future features of relativistic positioning systems, with special attention to the developments that they suggest for an { \em epistemic relativity} (relativistic experimental approach to physics), are analyzed. This includes { \em relativistic stereometry}, which, together with relativistic positioning systems, allows to introduce the general relativistic notion of (finite) { \em laboratory} (space-time region able to perform experiments of finite size).
Categories: gr-qc