At 8:23 on January 29, Beijing time, India successfully launched the NVS-02 regional navigation satellite using a GSLV-F15 rocket. Four days later, at 16:30 on February 2, Japan also launched its own regional navigation satellite MICHIBIKI No.6 (QZS-6) using an H3 rocket.This is also the first space launch of India and Japan in 2025.
NavIC is India's independent regional navigation satellite system, which can provide accurate position, velocity and timing (PVT) services within India and a surrounding area of about 1,500 kilometers.
Including standard positioning service (SPS) and restricted service (RS), the former has positioning accuracy better than 20 meters and timing accuracy better than 40 nanoseconds.
NVS-02 is the second of the system's five second-generation satellites and uses both domestically produced and purchased atomic clocks., the first one will be launched on May 29, 2023.
The NVS-02 satellite is equipped with a C-band ranging payload and also supports L1, L5, and S-bands. It weighs about 2.25 tons and has a processing power of about 3 kilowatts.
Japan's regional navigation satellite is called QZSS (Quasi Zenith Star), which can enhance the service capabilities of US GPS in Asia and Oceania, especially Japan.
The first phase of the project includes four satellites and was put into use in 2018.
The second phase of the project can operate independently of GPS. It was initially planned to have 7 satellites, which were later increased to 11. Launches began in 2010. QZS-6 is the fifth (not counting the first experimental one), but the earlier QZS-5 has not yet been launched.