Japan halts launch of H3 rocket after countdown

TOKYO - Japan issued an emergency stop of the launch of an H3 rocket which carries the country's satellite "Michibiki No. 5" on Wednesday.

The Michibiki navigation satellite was scheduled to launch at 11:11 am local time on Wednesday, but the launch was canceled due to an anomaly in the systems, according to an announcement at the launch site.

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency and other parties are investigating the details of the situation.

Michibiki is a Japanese satellite designed to enhance GPS accuracy for smartphones, car navigation systems, and other location-based services. The current system consists of five satellites orbiting over Japan, aiding not only in navigation but also in emergency earthquake alerts in areas with no communication signals.

The Japanese government aims to establish a seven-satellite system capable of providing positioning information without relying on foreign satellites. The "Michibiki No. 5" is the sixth of such mission.

The launch was initially scheduled for Dec 7 but was postponed after an anomaly was found in the inertial measurement unit installed on the rocket's body.