← GPS | Home GPS

China to launch six to eight BDS-3 satellites this year

by Staff Writers Beijing (XNA) May 27, 2019 XNA

China will send six to eight new satellites of the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS) into space this year, according to the ongoing tenth China Satellite Navigation Conference on Wednesday.

Two to four BDS-3 satellites will be launched in 2020 when the BDS-3 system will be fully completed, said Ran Chengqi, director of the China Satellite Navigation Office.

BDS will have the functions of short message communication and international rescue, as well as a satellite-based augmentation service covering China and surrounding areas, said Ren.

BDS system, independently constructed and operated by China, currently has 38 in-orbit satellites including 18 BDS-2 ones and 20 BDS-3 ones.

China started to build the BDS-3 system in 2009. And the construction of the BDS-3 primary system has been completed and started to provide global service since the end of 2018.

China is also planning to finish building a high precision national comprehensive positioning, navigation, and timing system on the basis of the BDS by 2035.

Source: Xinhua News Agency

More from GPS

Lockheed Martin Reaches Core Mate Milestone on First GPS IIIF Satellite Slated for Launch

2026-05-04

Camera-only navigation system cuts localization drift by up to 95 percent without GPS or LiDAR

2026-05-01

Halter Smart Cattle Collars Go Direct-To-Satellite Expanding Virtual Fencing To Remote Ranches

2026-04-29

China Breaks Foreign Monopoly with Mass-Produced Fingernail-Sized Atomic Clock

2026-04-26

Why have 1,000 ships at times lost their GPS in the Mideast?

2026-03-08