The future Chinese satellite navigation system Beidou (北斗) has one more satellite in the sky. On the 17. January, the third satellite was successfully launched from the Xichang (西昌) launching station in Sichuan (四川) province. The launching rocket was a Long March CZ-3C (长征三号丙).

A total of thirty-five satellites are planned for the navigation system to be fully operational: thirty non-stationary and five stationary. The number three is an important step, since it allows for the first time to create a real network of satellites.

By 2020, all satellites will be launched and the system will cover the whole globe. Around 2012, the Asia Pacific region will be covered.

Chinese source: 北斗”进入组网高峰

Ever since it stepped out of the European Galileo project, China has been developing its own satellite navigation system. The whole program goes under the name Beidou (北斗) and should be operational around 2015. Like the US Global Positioning System (GPS), China’s Beidou was primarily designed for the military; but it will be available for civilian purposes as well.

A base for the industrial application of satellite navigation is now being built in Shanghai’s Minhang district (上海闵行区). It is the first of its kind in China and will be located within Shanghai’s National Base for Civil Aerospace Industry (国家民用航天产业基地).

The new base will comprise several research and development centers in different satellite navigation-related areas. Companies associated with the Beidou project, will also have a presence on the base: the first two key companies (龙头企业) are Everthriving Satellite Technology (中兴恒和) and GZHPower (国智恒).

Similar to the motivations behind Gallileo (Europe) or Glonass (Russia), China’s aim is to be technologically and politically independent in this strategic area. The economic prospects are also potentially big, if Beidou succeeds in being the leading provider of satellite navigation for commercial use in China. There is no doubt that the different government entities will push in this direction.

Chinese source: 中国首个国家卫星导航应用产业项目落户上海