Last third-gen Beidou satellite fired into orbit
The final satellite to complete the third-generation network of China’s Beidou Navigation Satellite System has been launched, marking a new milestone in the nation’s space endeavours.
Yesterday, as the countdown ticked to zero – 9.43am – at the Xichang Satellite Launch Centre in Sichuan province, eight engines on the first stage and four boosters of a Long March 3B carrier rocket spat orange flame as they lifted the 19-storey vehicle and satellite into cloudy skies.
The launch marked the completion of the in-orbit construction of Beidou, the country’s largest spacebased system and one of four global navigation networks, along with the United States’ GPS, Russia’s Glonass and the European Union’s Galileo.
Some medical workers from across Sichuan province who have fought against the Covid-19 were invited by space authorities to witness the landmark launch mission at the centre.
The launch was broadcast live by China Central Television, the national broadcaster, becoming the first Beidou mission to go live on TV and also the first televised launch at the Xichang centre in a decade.
After a period of in-orbit tests, the new satellite will start formal operations and work with other Beidou satellites, allowing users around the globe to access high-accuracy navigation, positioning and timing services according to the China Satellite Navigation Office.
The spacecraft, which was transported by rail to the Xichang centre on April 4, was designed and made by the China Academy of Space Technology, a subsidiary of Stateowned
space conglomerate China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp. Based on the DFH-3B satellite platform, it is designed to work in orbit for at least 12 years.
The drive to establish a domestically developed satellite network for navigation and positioning was initiated by Chinese scientists in 1983.
The country began research and development of its own space-based navigation and positioning system in 1994, aiming to mitigate its reliance on foreign networks.