On November 5, 2019, a March 3 carrier rocket launched a Beidou navigation satellite from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Sichuan province, southwest China.
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China sent the latest satellite into space on Tuesday to complete its global navigation system that will help it disconnect from American technology in this area.
The network known as Beidou, which has been in process for more than two decades, is a significant step for China’s space and technology ambitions.
Beidou is a rival to the US Government-owned Global Positioning System (GPS). It is widely used throughout the world.
Experts previously told CNBC that Beidou will help the Chinese military stay online in the event of a conflict with the US. USA But the launch is also part of Beijing’s drive to increase its technological influence globally.
The launch of the latest satellite, which was broadcast on the state-run CGTN media channel, was deemed a success at 10.15 am Beijing time.
It was the second attempt to complete the navigation network after a previously scheduled launch was postponed due to “technical issues,” according to Beidou’s official website.
Plans for China’s own system took shape in the late 1990s, and the first version of Beidou was in service in 2000, providing coverage for satellite-based services to China.
The second iteration was completed in 2012 and provided services to the Asia-Pacific region. This third version, which is now complete and consisting of 30 satellites, will mean that the Beidou network now has global coverage.
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