Japan launches satellite to strengthen its GPS system

TOKYO, Japan - In an effort to enhance its homegrown geolocation system, that would help improve the accuracy of car navigation systems and smartphone maps - Japan launched its third satellite on Saturday.

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) said that the "Michibiki" No.3 satellite was blasted off on an H-IIA rocket at about 2.30 pm (0530 GMT) from the Tanegashima space center in southern Japan.

The rocket reportedly released the "Michibiki" No.3 satellite about 30 minutes after launching.

An official statement by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency said, "The rocket flew as planned, and the agency confirmed that the Michibiki (guidance in Japanese) No.3 was released with no abnormalities 28 minutes and 37 seconds after the launch.”

According to local reports, the launch had been scheduled to take place last week but had to be postponed due to a technical glitch.

Michibiki will reportedly cover the Asia-Oceania region and is intended for civilian use.

Initially designed for the U.S. military, satellite geolocation systems currently power countless civilian applications, from car navigation to internet browsing on mobile phones.

Currently, Japan relies on the U.S.-operated Global Positioning System (GPS) and Saturday's launch was part of a broader plan to build a domestic version with four satellites focusing on the country and wider region.

In 2010, Japan put its first satellite into orbit and then the second one was launched in June this year.

According to JAXA, the fourth such satellite is scheduled to be launched by March 2018 to start up the service.

Japan is hoping to boost the number of its satellites in orbit to seven by around 2023.

However, despite the launches, the Japan-built system will still need to operate in tandem with GPS.

While the GPS is widely used in Japan, supplementary satellites are important in a country where mountainous terrain and high buildings may interfere with its signals.