One of the most technology intensive countries in the world, Japan, has now finally succeeded in conducting a successful launch of the country’s first GPS satellite, in an effort to boost its satellite navigation capabilities. The Michibiki satellite was launched from the Tanegashima Space Center at 8:17 pm local time on Saturday and was delivered into its designated orbit by a indigenously designed H-IIA rocket. The entire project has been under the watchful eyes of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), that later confirmed the successful launch as the satellite deployed its solar panels.
The Michibiki satellite is part of three satellite launches planned by Japan, that have been designed and developed to provide highly accurate navigational data for the Japanese islands. This ambitious project called, Quasi-Zenith Satellite System (QZSS) will be operating on a figure-of-eight orbit, that has been designed to allow these satellites to be above Japan at all times, thereby providing sat-navigation access to city-center streets and country areas, where the conventional satellite signals tend not to reach, due to skyscrapers or mountains. Furthermore, the signals from these satellites will also be responsible for making corrections to the GPS, to enable accurate navigation. This bold step from JAXA, will mark a considerable reduction in the country’s reliance on U.S.-built and controlled NAVSTAR GPS network.
Via PC World
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