Geostationary

QZS-1R (MICHIBIKI-1R)

Navigation Augmentation (QZSS) · JAXA / Cabinet Office Japan

Japan's first quasi-zenith satellite replacement — part of the Michibiki (Guidance) constellation that augments GPS with Japan-specific signals. Quasi-zenith satellites follow a figure-8 orbit that keeps them nearly overhead Japan for most of the day, solving a problem unique to Japan's urban geography: tall buildings in Tokyo and Osaka block GPS signals at low elevation angles. Michibiki's high-elevation signals cut through urban canyons where GPS fails, enabling centimeter-level navigation for autonomous vehicles across Japanese cities.