2G satellite system on horizon

By Xin Dingding (China Daily)
Updated: 2008-12-31 07:47

China will launch more navigation satellites next year to develop the second-generation Beidou satellite navigation system - China's equivalent to the US GPS navigation system - an official said.

The country aims to complete the second-generation Beidou system by 2011, a director with the China National Administration of Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) and Application said yesterday at a conference commemorating five years of the Beidou system's operation.

The new system will outperform its predecessor in positioning accuracy, coverage territory, user capacity and anti-jamming capabilities, the director, who refused to be named, said.

"Using this system as a base, China will develop a global navigation system by 2020," he said.

The system has been identified as one of the country's top scientific development projects, he added.

A previous China News Service report said the Beidou system will include five geo-stationary satellites and 30 non-geostationary satellites. It will serve clients in China and neighboring regions.

There are currently five Beidou satellites in space.

Xinhua News Agency reported the first three Beidou satellites were launched in 2000 and 2003, forming an experimental navigation web. The first-generation Beidou navigation system became operational five years ago.

Two more satellites were sent into orbit in February and April 2007.

"Since 2003, the Beidou navigation system has been used in military training, disaster-relief efforts, border control and anti-terrorism work," the director said.