Japan launched the third of its new quasi-zenith satellites on Saturday to improve the global positioning system (GPS) navigation services in the country.
TOKYO (Sputnik) — The launch of the Michibiki No. 3 satellite was live broadcast on the website of Japan's Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA).
The launch, initially scheduled for last week, was delayed twice. On August 11, the launch was postponed for the next day due to bad weather conditions, while on August 12, the launch was canceled due to the risk of a possible helium leak in the rocket propulsion system.
The Quazi Zenith Satellite System is a local analog of the US global positioning system, which consists of four satellites aiming to increase the reliability and accuracy of the three-dimensional satellite navigation up to 99.8 percent. The accuracy of the system will reduce the error in determining the location to a few centimeters, while currently it amounts to some 10 meters.
The first satellite of the system was launched in 2010, while the second was put into orbit in June 2017. The last satellite is expected to be launched in October.