China one step closer satellite navigation system Beidou that could threaten dominance of GPS
- Successful launch of new Beidou-3 satellites expected to ensure network will be up and running by the end of the year
China moved a step closer to its dream of building a satellite navigation system that could challenge America’s Global Positioning System (GPS) with the launch on Monday of two new Beidou-3 satellites.
Industry figures said the Beidou-3 should be ready to start providing basic navigation services to some of China’s neighbours within a matter of weeks.
The launch means that a total of 19 Beidou-3 satellites are now in orbit – enough to start providing basic navigation services when testing is complete.
By 2020 the system will be expanded to a network of 35 satellites – enough to provide a global navigation and communications system, which industry insiders said could rival the dominance of GPS.
Yang Changfeng, the chief designer of the system, said a basic Beidou-3 network would be in place by the end of the year to serve countries that have signed up for China’s Belt and Road Initiative – an ambitious transcontinental infrastructure initiative.