At 9:41 a.m. on April 20, at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, China launched a new Beihou Navigation System (BDS) satellite into space.
According to the Xinhua News Agency, at 10:41 p.m. local time (9:41 a.m. same day as Hanoi), at the Xichang satellite launch center, China used Truong Chinh-3B boosters to deliver the secondary satellite. “family” of the Bac Dau Positioning System (BDS) satellite and is the first BDS-3 satellite to operate in Earth’s geostationary orbit in space.
After undergoing orbital tests, the satellite will coordinate with 18 other BDS-3 satellites in medium orbit and one satellite in geostationary orbit of Earth.
This satellite launch is the 302nd mission of the Truong Chinh missile line and the 100th mission of the Truong Chinh-3B missile.
To date, a total of four North Dau test missiles and 44 BDS missiles have been put into orbit through 36 Truong Chinh-3A and Truong Chinh-3B missile missions.
China formally implemented the North Dau Satellite Navigation System Development Project in 1994 to compete with the United States’ GPS, Russia’s GLONASS, and the European Union (EU) Galileo.
This system provides location and navigation services, serving domestic users since 2000 and Asia-Pacific since 2012.
China started developing BDS-3 satellites in 2017. To date, 10 Bac Dau 3 satellites have been launched into orbit.
