Japan Is Expanding Its Homegrown GPS Network To 11 Satellites From 4

Japan seeks to expand its GPS-style system to 11 satellites from 4, enabling users to establish their location precisely across the country without relying on the American network.

Tokyo aims to expand the Michibiki Quasi-Zenith Satellite System, a geosynchronous network of satellites over Japan and Australia, says the space policy committee.

The combination of Michibiki signals with American GPS satellites provides users in Asia-Oceania with centimetre-level location accuracy, which is much higher than GPS's several meter accuracy for civilian use.

In 2010, the first Michibiki satellite launched on a Japanese H-IIA rocket. Currently, it operates with four satellites and, when coupled with American GPS, offers 24-hour user access to location information.

Japan aims to get the cabinet's approval for the committee's space plan this summer, featuring the Michibiki upgrade. No expansion target date is included in the plan's draft.

The system's 11 satellites, according to committee member and University of Tokyo professor Kazuto Suzuki, would provide coverage to nearly all areas in Japan, both urban and mountainous.

Japan aims to extend the use of Michibiki outside the country to support the growing demand for precise location information for self-driving cars and drone delivery services in Asia and Oceania.

Japan's independent system is crucial for national security as it can collect precise data during natural disasters or emergencies, even if GPS is unavailable.

The US GPS and China's BeiDou satellite systems work globally with several satellites. However, Japan's Michibiki, which operates within a limited area, functions optimally with 11 satellites