China successfully launches two navigation satellites

The BeiDou-3 satellites were launched aboard a Long March-3B carrier rocket last night from Xichang Satellite Launch Center in the southwestern province of Sichuan, state- run Xinhua news agency reported. The two newly-launched satellites represent the third phase of the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System. This system will provide services for countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative, and form a complete global satellite navigation system by 2020 — by which time China plans to have more than 30 satellites. If everything goes according to the plan, China will become the third country in the world after the US and Russia to operate its own Global Positioning System (GPS) system. Named after the Chinese term for the plough or the Big Dipper constellation, the BeiDou project was formally initiated in 1994. It began to serve China in 2000 and the Asia-Pacific region at the end of 2012. Compared to earlier generation satellites, the BeiDou-3 is able to send signals that are better compatible with other satellite navigation systems and provide satellite-based augmentation, as well as search and rescue services in accordance with international standards. "New technology has significantly improved the performance of the BeiDou-3, with the signal accuracy in space higher than half a meter while its positioning accuracy has reached 2.5 to five meters," said Yang Changfeng, chief designer of the BeiDou system.