Japan plans to expand its local Michibiki satellite positioning network, eliminating the need to rely on American GPS

CTOnews.com, May 8 (Xinhua)-- the Japanese Space Policy Committee has decided to expand its Michibiki quasi-Zenith Satellite system (Michibiki-Quasi-Zenith Satellite System), a network of satellites operating in geosynchronous orbits over Japan and Australia.

As an enhanced satellite of GPS, there are only four satellites in the current Michibiki system, and Japan plans to launch seven more satellites, which means that Japan can no longer rely on GPS in the future.

CTOnews.com found that the first Michibiki satellite was launched on a Japanese H-IIA rocket in 2010. Since 2018, four satellites in the system have been operating smoothly, and combined with the GPS of the United States, users can determine the location information accurate to centimeters.

This series of basic plans of the Japanese Space Policy Committee, including the "Michibiki" upgrade plan, are expected to be approved by the cabinet this summer. However, the plan is still in the draft stage and there is no specific target date for the time being.

Kazuto Suzuki Suzuki, a professor at the University of Tokyo and a member of the committee, said the system had 11 satellites and would "cover almost the whole of Japan", including mountainous and urban areas.

They believe that accurate location information is essential for self-driving cars and drone distribution services. With the growing demand for high-precision positioning in Asia and Oceania, Japan is also planning to promote the use of Michibiki overseas.

At present, the GPS system of the United States and the Beidou satellite navigation system of China are composed of dozens of satellites, which can play a stable role on a global scale. Suzuki said that because Michibiki is only planned to operate in a specific area, "it can be thought of as a complete 11 satellites."