A Japanese government ministerial council comprising the entire Cabinet and headed by Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda took the decision to set up a network of four Quasi-Zenith Satellite System (QZSS), called quasi-zenith satellites, for its own GPS system independent from the US system, at a meeting on Friday.
The Ministers also decided to give up a plan to establish a space agency in the immediate future and instead agreed to make the Cabinet Office the center of space development policies, the officials said, adding that funds of 4.1 billion yen will be sought in the fiscal 2012 national budget for the purpose.
The QZSS is a proposed three-satellite regional time transfer system and Satellite Based Augmentation System for the Global Positioning System that would be receivable within Japan. On 11 September, 2010, Japan launched its first quasi-zenith satellite, named 'Michibiki', meaning guiding, from the Tanegashima Space Center in Kagoshima Prefecture. Full operational status is expected by 2013. QZSS can enhance GPS services in two ways. Firstly availability enhancement, whereby the availability of GPS signals is improved. Secondly performance enhancement whereby the accuracy and reliability of GPS derived navigation solutions is increased.
