TOKYO: Japan on Saturday launched the third satellite in its effort to build a homegrown geolocation system aimed at improving the accuracy of car navigation systems and smart phone maps to mere centimeters. An H-IIA rocket blasted off at about 2:30 p.m. (0530 GMT) from the Tanegashima space center in southern Japan, according to the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). The launch was initially scheduled last week but was postponed due to a technical glitch. Satellite geolocation systems, initially designed for the US military, now power countless civilian applications, from car navigation to internet browsing on mobile phones. Japan relies on the US-operated Global Positioning System (GPS).

Source: Manila Times August 19, 2017 06:45 UTC