UPSC Prelims 2023 GS Paper I · Q57 of 98 General Science easy

Which one of the following countries has its own Satellite Navigation System?

  1. (a) Australia
  2. (b) Canada
  3. (c) Israel
  4. (d) Japan ✓ UPSC's answer

Why the answer is (d)

• Japan operates the Quasi-Zenith Satellite System (QZSS, 'Michibiki'), a regional navigation constellation that augments GPS over Japan and the Asia-Oceania region — option (d).

• The other systems in the world are the US GPS, Russia's GLONASS, Europe's Galileo, China's BeiDou and India's NavIC (IRNSS).

• Australia, Canada and Israel rely on GPS and augmentation services; none operates its own satellite navigation constellation.

• Regional systems like QZSS and NavIC provide sovereign positioning for strategic and civilian use.

• Hence option (d).

Why the other options are wrong

(a) Australia
Australia uses GPS with augmentation; it has no own system.
(b) Canada
Canada relies on GPS.
(c) Israel
Israel has no satellite navigation constellation of its own.

Asked in the GS Paper I of the UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2023, held on 28 May 2023. Question and answer key: Union Public Service Commission. Explanation: UPSC Answer Check.

Reading the answer is not the same as getting it right under a clock. Practise this question with UPSC's negative marking, and anything you miss goes into an error notebook until you get it right twice.

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