Japan has launched the Michibiki navigation satellite aboard the H3 Rocket No. 5 from the Tanegashima Space Center in Kagoshima Prefecture, Report informs via Xinhua.
The H3 Rocket No. 5, carrying the Michibiki satellite, lifted off at 5:30 p.m. local time. The satellite was later placed into its designated orbit.
Michibiki is a Japanese satellite designed to enhance GPS accuracy for smartphones, car navigation systems, and other location-based services. The current system consists of four satellites orbiting over Japan, aiding not only in navigation but also in emergency earthquake alerts in areas with no communication signals.
The Japanese government aims to expand the system from four to seven satellites, reducing reliance on foreign GPS networks. The newly launched Michibiki No. 6 will be placed in a geostationary orbit approximately 36,000 km above Earth.
Japan’s next-generation H3 rocket developed by Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries is set to fully replace the operation of the H2A rocket, which is expected to end in fiscal 2024 with the launch of rocket No. 50.
