A Japanese H-2A rocket will launch an advanced navigation satellite tonight. Watch it live! - Space.com

Japan's H-2A rocket launched a new navigation satellite into orbit on Monday (Oct. 25).

The rocket lifted off from the Tanegashima Space Center in Japan at 10:19 p.m.

EDT Monday (0219 GMT, or 11:19 a.m. local time on Tuesday, Oct. 26), according to Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, which builds and operates H-2A rockets the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA).

The satellite, QZS-1R, is a replacement for the Quasi-Zenith Satellite System 1 satellite first launched in 2010.

The QZSS constellation will eventually consist of a total of seven satellites that fly in an orbit passing through a near-zenith (or directly overhead) above Japan, and QZS-R1 is meant to share nearly the same transmission signals as recent GPS satellites, according to JAXA.

Mitsubishi Industries launched the satellite on an H-2A 202 rocket.

29, 2020, when Japan launched an advanced relay satellite with laser communications tech into orbit.

Elizabeth Howell is a contributing writer for Space.com who is one of the few Canadian journalists to report regularly on space exploration!