The Japanese government will launch 100 microsatellites to monitor traffic flow.

This cluster of microsatellites, expected to be in place in two years, will be deployed to provide detailed and high frequency monitoring services.

Each 50cm microsatellite, weighing less than 50kg, will have the same basic shell but will carry differing equipment depending on the purpose, the Daily Yomiuri Online said.

The satellites launched in the low orbit region will also provide information about natural disasters, weather and farming trends.

An education ministry official said: “We want to make the satellites for 300 million yen or 400 million yen [each], and at first we’d like to use an inexpensive Russian rocket to launch them.”

The government has granted an additional economic stimulus package to develop new market for microsatellites.