China’s GPS rival, BeiDou, is getting an upgrade as Beijing eyes global adoption
China is overhauling its home-grown satellite navigation system as part of a push to expand the network’s global influence
China is upgrading the BeiDou satellite navigation system – its home-grown alternative to the US-run Global Positioning System – as Beijing seeks to expand the network’s industrial footprint and international reach.
The project will focus on replacing older satellites with newer, third-generation models and realigning their orbital paths to allow more comprehensive global coverage, according to a document released by the China Satellite Navigation Office in late March.
The in-orbit upgrade will consolidate BeiDou’s active constellation to 37 satellites from the current 50. Most of them will operate in medium Earth orbit – the same altitude range used by GPS and Galileo – which is essential for navigation systems to provide consistent international coverage.
The upgraded constellation will primarily be made up of third-generation BDS-3 satellites, which offer better accuracy and communication capabilities than earlier models.
Thirteen BDS-2 satellites will be decommissioned as part of the upgrade. Meanwhile, five slots in the network remain vacant, leaving space for future expansion.