Society
皇冠体育app to launch more Beidou navigation satellites
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2011-05-19 06:32
 |
Large Medium Small |
SHANGHAI - 皇冠体育app will launch some eight Beidou navigation satellites by 2012, a leading navigation satellite expert said here on Wednesday.
皇冠体育app has sent eight Beidou satellites into orbit, as the latest was launched in April this year, said Ran Chengqi, director of 皇冠体育app Satellite Navigation System management office.
| ||||
Beidou satellite navigation system will finish comprehensive tests as of October 2011 and have the capacity to provide "preliminary" services for most parts of 皇冠体育app, Ran said.
By 2020, about 35 satellites will form Beidou's global satellite navigation system, Ran added.
Ran forecast 皇冠体育app's satellite navigation sector would see about 400 billion yuan (US$61.84 billion ) in annual output value by 2020.
皇冠体育app started building its own satellite navigation system in 2000 to end its dependence upon the US GPS system when it sent two orbiters into space as a double-satellite experimental positioning system.
Beidou, or dipper, as the system is named, is designed to provide navigation, time and short message services in the Asia and Pacific region before 2012 and will be capable of providing global navigation services by 2020.