Editor's Note: The article is based on an interview with Chang Xinuo, deputy designer of BeiDou Navigation of Satellite at the China Academy of Space Technology, and Yang Zheng, an engineer at the International Cooperation Center of China Satellite Navigation Office. The article reflects the experts' opinion, and not necessarily the views of CGTN.

Two new Chinese satellites of the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS) were sent into space on a Long March-3B carrier rocket from Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Sichuan Province on Monday, signifying the accomplishment of the basic BDS constellation deployment.

Since last November, China has completed 11 launches of the BeiDou-3 system. “It is very highly intensive and a high success rate for the launch. So it sets a new record for the China launch system and also a new record for the BDS. And the component and equipment of the BeiDou-3 system are 100 percent designed and developed by China,” said Chang Xinuo, deputy designer of BeiDou Navigation of Satellite at the China Academy of Space Technology.

The BeiDou-3 project officially kicked off in 2009. Last November, China launched the first two BeiDou-3 satellites into space, marking the beginning of the BeiDou-3 system's integration into a global network. The project will be completed by 2020 when 30 satellites will be launched.

And it has made some breakthroughs in technology, such as successfully launching 19 satellites within one year, using self-developed products, improving positioning accuracy and stability. 

China has independently produced all the products on the BeiDou-3 satellites, which are equipped with high-precision rubidium and hydrogen atomic clocks independently developed domestically, with only a second off time every 3 million years. It is also reported that its positioning accuracy has been improved to 2.5-5 meters.

BDS, when completed in 2020, will be the world's fourth navigation satellite system, others being the US's GPS, Russia's GLONASS and the European Union's Galileo. It has shared many common points with other global navigation satellite systems, including the functions of broadcasting navigation signals, and video signals.

However, BDS also has its own features. “For example, we have a short message communication service. By providing this type of service, the user can not only know where he is but also let others know where he is. And that's very different from other systems,” Chang added.

Besides, BDS has a hyper constellation. According to Chang, it has geostationary satellites and inclined geosynchronous orbit satellites. So it can integrate many types of services into the system, thus providing a more comprehensive integrated solution to the users. The BDS provides not only basic positioning, navigation and timing services, but also an international search-and-rescue service.

Following this launch, a basic BeiDou-3 system with a constellation of 19 satellites will be in place by the end of this year, when it will be expanded to provide basic navigation service to countries and regions participating in the Belt and Road Initiative. 

“This is a key millstone for BDS in expanding service areas from regional to global,” said Yang Zheng, the engineer of the International Cooperation Center, China Satellite Navigation Office.

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