VOA · As It Is
Intermediate · B1–B2learner speed3:162025-02-04public domain
As It Is is VOA Learning English's daily news magazine. Each report covers a current story in clear, learner-speed English with a controlled vocabulary — the closest thing to real news broadcasts that intermediate learners can fully digest, and ideal raw material for dictation.
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01Japan's space agency says it successfully launched a navigation satellite on its new H-3 rocket.
02The latest launch on February 2nd took place as the country aims to develop a more precise positioning system.
03The H-3 rocket carrying the Michibiki-6 satellite lifted off from the Tanegashima Space Center on a southwestern Japanese island.
04Makoto Arita oversees the H-3 project for the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency known as JAXA.
05Arita said everything went smoothly and the satellite successfully separated from the rocket, as planned, about 29 minutes after liftoff.
06Officials said it should reach its target orbit around the Earth in the middle of February.
07Japan's current system is called the Quasi-Zenith Satellite System, or QZSS.
08It started operating in 2018 and has four satellites that serve a regional navigation system.
09The Michibiki-6 will be the fifth satellite in the network.
10Michibiki's signals are used to supplement the American satellite system called the Global Positioning System, or GPS.
11It will also improve positioning data for smartphones, car navigation, navigation at sea, and drones.
12Japan plans to launch two more navigation satellites to have a seven-satellite system by March 2026.
13The Japan Science and Technology Agency hopes that will create a more precise global positioning ability without depending on foreign services, including GPS.
14By the late 2030s, Japan plans to have an 11 satellite network.
15Sunday's launch was the fourth successful flight in a row for the H-3 system.
16The first attempt to launch last year failed, and the rocket had to be destroyed with its payload.
17Japan considers the ability to regularly put satellites into orbit as important to its space program and national security.
18It has been developing two new leading rockets.
19One is the large H-3 from Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.
20The other is a much smaller Epsilon system with the aerospace unit of IHI Corporation.
21Japan hopes to meet the needs of companies for space launch services and improve its position in the growing satellite launch market.
22I'm Jill Robbins.
23I'm Jill Robbins.
24I'm Jill Robbins.
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