Quasi-Zenith Satellite System

Quasi-Zenith Satellite System

Country/ies of origin Japan
Operator(s) JAXA
Type civilian
Status in implementation
Coverage regional
Accuracy 0.01–1 meters
Constellation size
Total satellites 4 (7 in the future)
Satellites in orbit 4
First launch September 2010
Orbital characteristics
Regime(s) 3x GSO
Other details
Cost JPY 170 billion
Website qzss.go.jp/en/
Quasi-Zenith satellite orbit
QZSS animation, the "Quasi-Zenith/tundra orbit" plot is clearly visible.

The Quasi-Zenith Satellite System (QZSS) (準天頂衛星システム, Juntencho eisei shisutemu) is a project of the Japanese government for the development of a four-satellite regional time transfer system and a satellite-based augmentation system for the United States operated Global Positioning System (GPS) to be receivable in the Asia-Oceania regions, with a focus on Japan.[1] The goal of QZSS is to provide highly precise and stable positioning services in the Asia-Oceania region, compatible with GPS.[2] Four-satellite QZSS services (QZS-4) are available on a trial basis as of January 12, 2018,[3] and are scheduled to commence as a production service on November 1, 2018.[4]

History

In 2002, the Japanese government authorized the development of QZSS, as a three-satellite regional time transfer system and a satellite-based augmentation system for the United States operated Global Positioning System (GPS) to be receivable within Japan. A contract was awarded to Advanced Space Business Corporation (ASBC), that began concept development work, and Mitsubishi Electric, Hitachi, and GNSS Technologies Inc. However, ASBC collapsed in 2007, and the work was taken over by the Satellite Positioning Research and Application Center (SPAC), which is owned by four Japanese government departments: the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism.[5]

The first satellite "Michibiki" was launched on 11 September 2010.[6] Full operational status was expected by 2013.[7][8] In March 2013, Japan's Cabinet Office announced the expansion of QZSS from three satellites to four. The $526 million contract with Mitsubishi Electric for the construction of three satellites was scheduled for launch before the end of 2017.[9] The third satellite was launched into orbit on 19 August 2017,[10] and the fourth was launched on 10 October 2017.[11] The basic four-satellite system is planned to be operational in 2018.[12]

Orbit

QZSS uses three satellites, in highly inclined, slightly elliptical, geosynchronous orbits. Each orbit is 120° apart from the other two. Because of this inclination, they are not geostationary; they do not remain in the same place in the sky. Instead, their ground traces are asymmetrical figure-8 patterns (analemmas), designed to ensure that one is almost directly overhead (elevation 60° or more) over Japan at all times.

The nominal orbital elements are:

QZSS satellite Keplerian elements (nominal)[13]
Epoch2009-12-26 12:00 UTC
Semimajor axis (a)42,164 kilometres (26,199 mi)
Eccentricity (e)0.075 ± 0.015
Inclination (i)43° ± 4°
Right ascension of the ascending node (Ω)195° (initial)
Argument of perigee (ω)270° ± 2°
Mean anomaly (M0)305° (initial)
Central longitude of ground trace135° E ± 5°

Satellites

NameLaunch dateStatusNotes
QZS-1 (Michibiki-1)11 September 2010Operational-
QZS-2 (Michibiki-2)1 June 2017OperationalImproved solar panels and increased fuel
QZS-3 (Michibiki-3)19 August 2017OperationalHeavier design with additional S-band antenna on geostationary orbit
QZS-4 (Michibiki-4)10 October 2017OperationalImproved solar panels and increased fuel

QZSS and positioning augmentation

The primary purpose of QZSS is to increase the availability of GPS in Japan's numerous urban canyons, where only satellites at very high elevation can be seen. A secondary function is performance enhancement, increasing the accuracy and reliability of GPS derived navigation solutions.

The Quasi-Zenith Satellites transmit signals compatible with the GPS L1C/A signal, as well as the modernized GPS L1C, L2C signal and L5 signals. This minimizes changes to existing GPS receivers.

Compared to standalone GPS, the combined system GPS plus QZSS delivers improved positioning performance via ranging correction data provided through the transmission of submeter-class performance enhancement signals L1-SAIF and LEX from QZSS. It also improves reliability by means of failure monitoring and system health data notifications. QZSS also provides other support data to users to improve GPS satellite acquisition.

According to its original plan, QZSS was to carry two types of space-borne atomic clocks; a hydrogen maser and a rubidium (Rb) atomic clock. The development of a passive hydrogen maser for QZSS was abandoned in 2006. The positioning signal will be generated by a Rb clock and an architecture similar to the GPS timekeeping system will be employed. QZSS will also be able to use a Two-Way Satellite Time and Frequency Transfer (TWSTFT) scheme, which will be employed to gain some fundamental knowledge of satellite atomic standard behavior in space as well as for other research purposes.

QZSS timekeeping and remote synchronization

Although the first generation QZSS timekeeping system (TKS) will be based on the Rb clock, the first QZSS satellites will carry a basic prototype of an experimental crystal clock synchronization system. During the first half of the two year in-orbit test phase, preliminary tests will investigate the feasibility of the atomic clock-less technology which might be employed in the second generation QZSS.

The mentioned QZSS TKS technology is a novel satellite timekeeping system which does not require on-board atomic clocks as used by existing navigation satellite systems such as GPS, GLONASS, NAVIC or Galileo system. This concept is differentiated by the employment of a synchronization framework combined with lightweight steerable on-board clocks which act as transponders re-broadcasting the precise time remotely provided by the time synchronization network located on the ground. This allows the system to operate optimally when satellites are in direct contact with the ground station, making it suitable for a system like the Japanese QZSS. Low satellite mass and low satellite manufacturing and launch cost are significant advantages of this system. An outline of this concept as well as two possible implementations of the time synchronization network for QZSS were studied and published in Remote Synchronization Method for the Quasi-Zenith Satellite System[14] and Remote Synchronization Method for the Quasi-Zenith Satellite System: study of a novel satellite timekeeping system which does not require on-board atomic clocks.[15]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Quasi-Zenith Satellite Orbit (QZO)
  2. ↑ "[Movie] Quasi-Zenith Satellite System "QZSS"". Quasi-Zenith Satellite System(QZSS). Retrieved 19 July 2017.
  3. ↑ "[Notices] Start of QZS-4 Trial Service". Quasi-Zenith Satellite System(QZSS). Retrieved 2018-05-02.
  4. ↑ "Starting Date of QZSS Services". QZSS. 2 March 2018. Archived from the original on 11 March 2018. Retrieved 14 April 2018.
  5. ↑ "Service Status of QZSS" (PDF). 2008-12-12. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 25, 2011. Retrieved 2009-05-07.
  6. ↑ "Launch Result of the First Quasi-Zenith Satellite 'MICHIBIKI' by H-IIA Launch Vehicle No. 18". 2010-09-11. Retrieved 2011-12-12.
  7. ↑ "QZSS in 2010". Magazine article. Asian Surveying and Mapping. 2009-05-07. Retrieved 2009-05-07.
  8. ↑ "GNSS All Over the World". The System. GPS World Online. 2007-11-01. Archived from the original on August 23, 2011. Retrieved 2011-12-12.
  9. ↑ http://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n1304/04qzss/ Japan to build fleet of navigation satellites 2013-04-04 Retrieved 2013-04-05
  10. ↑ https://spaceflightnow.com/2017/08/19/japan-launches-navigation-satellite-after-week-long-delay/
  11. ↑ https://spaceflightnow.com/launch-schedule/
  12. ↑ "Service Overview - What is the QZSS?". Cabinet Office, Government of Japan. Retrieved 2016-01-20.
  13. ↑ Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (2016-07-14), Interface Specifications for QZSS, version 1.7, pp. 7–8, archived from the original on 2013-04-06
  14. ↑ Fabrizio Tappero (April 2008), Remote Synchronization Method for the Quasi-Zenith Satellite System (PhD thesis), archived from the original on 2011-03-07, retrieved 2013-08-10
  15. ↑ Fabrizio Tappero (2009-05-24). Remote Synchronization Method for the Quasi-Zenith Satellite System: study of a novel satellite timekeeping system which does not require on-board atomic clocks. VDM Verlag. ISBN 978-3-639-16004-8.

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