Japan Rolls Out Satellite for Improved GPS System

Japan last week rolled out the 3rd satellite in its attempt to make a geo-location home grown system targeted at enhancing the correctness of navigation systems of the cars as well as smartphone maps to just by centimeters.

An H-IIA rocket took off from the Tanegashima space center at almost late noon at 2:30 pm (0530 GMT) in Southern Japan, as per the JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency). The rocket productively rolled out the Michibiki No.3 satellite almost 30 Minutes post the roll out.

Japan Rolls Out Satellite for Improved GPS System

“The rocket flew as aimed, and the organization verified that the Michibiki No.3 was rolled out with no irregularities 28 Minutes and 37 Seconds post the initial roll out,” a spokesperson claimed to the media in an interview.

The launch was originally planned last week but was delayed owing to a technological glitch. Satellite geo-location systems, which were originally developed for the U.S. military, now fuel innumerable civilian apps, from Internet browsing to car navigation on mobile handsets. Japan depends on the US-operated GPS (Global Positioning System). Last week’s roll out was a division of a bigger plan to make a local version with 4 satellites aiming on the wider region and the country.

The first satellite was rolled out in the orbit in 2010. And the second satellite was rolled out in the orbit in June. The fourth is to be rolled out by the end of March 2018 to begin the service up and running. The system, which is built by Japan, will still require working with GPS in tandem. Even though GPS is broadly utilized in Japan, having extra satellites is essential in a nation where high buildings and mountainous terrain may get in the way with its signals.

Michibiki, which means “supervision” in Japanese, will warp the Asia-Oceania area and is planned for civilian usage. Japan plans to boost the figure of its satellites in orbit to almost 7 by the end of 2023. For now, lets us see if Japan is able to achieve this number by the end of 2023. And currently, all the eyes are set on the launch of No.4 satellite.

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