--- title: "Japan Launches Michibiki No. 7: Step Towards Sovereign Navigation and Challenges for H3" description: "🇯🇵 Japan successfully launched the Michibiki No. 7 satellite (QZS-7), moving closer to creating its own navigation system independent of GPS. 🚀 The launch took place from the Tanegashima Space Center using the H3 rocket. 📉 However, a full constellation is not yet in place: in December 2025, Satellite No. 5 was lost. 🌏 The QZSS system uses unique orbits to cover mountainous areas and cities. 🔮 Expansion to 11 satellites is planned by the end of the 2030s." date: 2026-08-11T23:06:27.000Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/japan-launches-michibiki-7-sovereign-navigation-challenges-for-h3 tags: [japan, space, satellite, qzss, gps, navigation, jaxa, h3-rocket] publisher: "XAB.info" --- # Japan Launches Michibiki No. 7: Step Towards Sovereign Navigation and Challenges for H3 ![Diagram of the Japanese Michibiki (QZSS) satellite orbit showing the figure-eight pattern over Asia and Australia](https://xab.info/media/2026/08/12/yaponiya-zapustila-michibiki-7-suverenit-navigatsii/yaponiya-zapustila-michibiki-7-suverenit-navigatsii-1.webp) ## 🎯 Key Points - Japan launched the Michibiki No. 7 satellite, completing the formation of the basic QZSS constellation. - The system uses unique quasi-zenith orbits to improve navigation in cities and mountains. - In December 2025, Satellite No. 5 was lost, raising questions about the system's full readiness. - The constellation is planned to be expanded to 11 units by the end of the 2030s. **August 12, 2026** — Japan has taken a decisive step towards creating its own sovereign satellite navigation system. On the morning of August 11, the H3 launch vehicle successfully lifted off from the Tanegashima Space Center, deploying the seventh navigation satellite of the Michibiki series (QZS-7) into orbit. This launch marks the formal completion of the basic constellation, which is intended to ensure the country's independence from the American GPS in critical situations. ### Success after Failure: The Launch of QZS-7 and the Fate of the H3 Rocket The launch proceeded without glitches: 29 minutes after liftoff, the satellite successfully separated from the rocket's upper stage and entered its calculated orbit. This event was not just a technical success but also a moral victory for the Japanese space program JAXA. The H3 launch vehicle used for this mission has demonstrated unstable statistics in recent years: out of fewer than ten launches, two serious accidents and a series of technical failures have been recorded. Therefore, a successful launch under such circumstances holds strategic significance, confirming the reliability of the new platform for future missions. ### Features of QZSS Orbital Mechanics The uniqueness of the Japanese Quasi-Zenith Satellite System (QZSS) lies in its geometry. Unlike global systems (GPS, GLONASS, Galileo) that use dozens of satellites in medium orbits, QZSS is designed to cover the Asia-Pacific region. The satellites move along highly inclined geosynchronous orbits, tracing a figure resembling a figure-eight on the map. Thanks to this, the spacecraft remain almost at the zenith over Japan for many hours. This is critical for mountainous areas and megacities with dense construction, where standard GPS satellites are often blocked by terrain and skyscrapers. ### Contradictory Data: Constellation Status and the 2025 Accident Despite the successful launch of QZS-7, the question of the system's full commissioning remains open due to the tragedy of last year. In December 2025, an attempt to launch the Michibiki No. 5 satellite ended in an accident: due to mounting issues, the satellite fell off the rocket and was lost. In fact, at the current moment, the constellation consists of six operational satellites. There is a discrepancy in assessments: on one hand, the launch of QZS-7 is called the final stage of network creation, while on the other, it is unclear whether the system will be accepted into service in its current configuration without the seventh satellite (considering the loss of No. 5). For autonomous coordinate determination, a minimum of four satellites must be visible; with the current number (6-7 units), coverage is provided, but with less redundancy. ### Independence Strategy and Plans Until the 2030s The QZSS system is compatible with GPS and usually operates in conjunction with it, increasing the number of available signals for users. However, with seven operational satellites over Japan, at least four QZSS satellites will be visible at any given moment. This will allow the country to create a navigation system independent of foreign platforms. The Japanese government has already decided to expand the constellation to 11 satellites by the end of the 2030s. This expansion is necessary for redundancy in case of a failure of one of the units and to ensure the uninterrupted operation of the system in the long term. ## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification - [Japan completes creation of sovereign satellite navigation system, but will not abandon GPS](https://3dnews.ru/1146646/yaponiya-zavershila-sozdanie-suverennoy-sistemi-sputnikovoy-navigatsii-no-ot-gps-ne-otkagetsya) - Подтвержден факт запуска QZS-7 11 августа 2026 года, авария с QZS-5 в декабре 2025 года и планы по расширению до 11 спутников. - [Japan expands constellation of satellites for its GPS analog](https://www.kommersant.ru/doc/8876780) - Подтверждает информацию о наращивании группировки и стратегической важности системы. - [Japan launches two reconnaissance satellites](https://www.aa.com.tr/ru/%D0%BC%D0%B8%D1%80/%D1%8F%D0%BF%D0%BE%D0%BD%D0%B8%D1%8F-%D0%B7%D0%B0%D0%BF%D1%83%D1%81%D1%82%D0%B8%D0%BB%D0%B0-%D0%B4%D0%B2%D0%B0-%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%B7%D0%B2%D0%B5%D0%B4%D1%8B%D0%B2%D0%B0%D1%82%D0%B5%D0%BB%D1%8C%D0%BD%D1%8B%D1%85-%D1%81%D0%BF%D1%83%D1%82%D0%BD%D0%B8%D0%BA%D0%B0/281050) - Подтверждено по источнику aa.com.tr ## ❓ FAQ ### Q: What is QZSS? **A:** Quasi-Zenith Satellite System is a Japanese quasi-zenith satellite system designed to improve navigation in the Asia-Pacific region. ### Q: Why is the launch of QZS-7 important? **A:** It is the last unit of the basic series, which should ensure Japan's ability to navigate autonomously without using GPS. ### Q: How many satellites are in the system now? **A:** In fact, six units are operational, as Satellite No. 5 was lost in an accident in December 2025, despite the successful launch of No. 7.