satellites

   Once again Japan is set to create world space history which could benefit India. On Saturday, Japan will launch the quasi-zenith satellite system stated to be the first of its kind. If successful, rest assured that it will revolutionise the global communication system using satellites, and could benefit the people of India too, according to the Japanese space agency, Jaxa..

   Called Michibiki it will be launched using the H-11 rocket. It is basically is a positioning system using multiple satellites with the same orbital period as geo stationary satellites. According Jaxa the chief advantage of this system is that it will place satellites in multiple orbital planes so that one satellite will always appear close to the zenith above Japan.

    The satellite will separate from the second stage of the H-11 rocket 28.26 minutes after launch at an altitude of 275 kms while the rocket is zooming at a velocity of 10.2 kms per second.

    With a satellite that can always receive global positioning system signals, which are neither blocked by mountains nor high rise buildings, the system can deliver high accuracy satellite positioning system covering close to cent per cent of Japan. Space officials explain that such a new satellite system will have day to day applications because it will contribute towards improving work efficiency in important areas like agriculture, fishery and construction. It can also help in curbing crime and reducing traffic accidents.

    They say that the biggest advantage of a quazi-zenith satellite is that users can receive signals from a satellite that flying just above them. Around the time of Michibiki launch, various new satellite positioning systems are scheduled to begin operations. Michibiki will transmit signals continuosly which can be received not only in Japan, but in other parts of Asia as well which include countries like India, Thailand and Hawaii, says Jaxa.

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      Talking about satellites, a recent report prepared by an European marketing firm, Euroconsult, has estimated that during the next decade about 1220 satellites from different countries will be launched which works out to an average of 122 satellites annually as against 77 earlie.

      The report called ``Satellites to be Built and Launched by 2019: World Market Survey'' has projected that the revenues from manufacturing and launch of these 1220 satellites will touch dollars 194 billion annually.

       The report says that governments around the world will continue to dominate the space sector, accounting for two-thirds of the total number of spacecraft launched.