Beidou navigation system moves a step closer to global coverage

With the launch of two navigation satellites on Saturday, China made another solid step toward building it's own positioning system with global coverage, a leading scientist said on Sunday.

Scientists put two satellites for the Beidou Navigation Satellite System, a domestic alternative to the United States-operated GPS, into orbit on Saturday at midnight.

Xie Jun, chief engineer of the Beidou project, said the two satellites are designed to be trailblazers as the Beidou system expands its coverage globally.