Galileo blow as Japan launches advance new GPS satellite to rival EU system

Satellite images hint at possible Chinese air strikes against Taiwan

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Japan launched its H-2A rocket, carrying its new navigation satellite, into orbit from the Tanegashima Space Center in Japan on Monday, October 25. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, which builds and operates H-2A rockets, wrote on Twitter: “It was a really beautiful launch.” They later confirmed that roughly 28 minutes after lift-off the satellite had successfully separated from the rocket’s upper stage. The satellite launched by the H-2A rocket, QZS-1R, is a replacement for the Quasi-Zenith Satellite System 1 satellite which first launched in 2010.

The official QZSS website lists four satellites in the constellation: QZS-1, QZS-2, QZS-3 and QZS-4.

The QZSS constellation will eventually have a total of seven satellites flying in an orbit passing through a near-zenith (or directly overhead) above Japan.

QZS-R1, which is specialised for mountainous and urban regions,
is meant to share nearly the same transmission signals as recent GPS satellites, according to Japan’s Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA).

Mitsubishi Industries launched the original satellite on an H-2A 202 rocket.

The launch system has been in operation since 2003 and has sent satellites to locations like Venus (Akatsuki) and Mars (Emirates Mars Mission).

But this new satellite spells bad news for the EU, who are hoping to lead the way in satellite navigation.

It also comes after France launched a state-of-art space probe designed to allow French military Force’s to communicate quickly across the globe.

France’s Syracuse 4A satellite was launched up into space on the Ariane 5 rocket from Kourou, in French Guiana on Saturday.

Brexit Britain was kicked out of the EU’s Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) after cutting ties with the bloc.

But the UK will reportedly continue to depend on the US Global Positioning System (GPS) for position, navigation and timing (PNT) services until a suitable replacement is selected to rival the EU’s Galileo satellite system.

One option, the OneWeb low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellation, was primarily designed as a broadband constellation to provide rural 4G, and one day 5G, Internet signals across Britain.

But OneWeb’s Gen2 satellite has also been tipped as another potential Galileo rival.

Galileo, which will go fully live in 2026, will be made up of 24 operational satellites plus six in-orbit spares, positioned in three circular Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) planes at 23,222 km altitude above the Earth, and at an inclination of the orbital planes of 56 degrees to the equator.

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But other navigation systems are in place that also put Galileo to the test.

Last year, China sent its Beidou satellite into orbit in a move that completed its navigation network that was years in the making.

This move not only rivalled the Galileo system but also challenged the U.S.-owned Global Positioning System (GPS).

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