China Launched the 55th BeiDou Satellite,Completing Its Global Navigation System

The BeiDou satellites are being transferredPhoto:NAN Yong

China launched the 55th satellite of the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System(BDS) from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center at 09:43 Beijing time on June 23,marking the completion of the deployment of its own global navigation system,which was half year in advance of that planned.

This mission marks the successful completion of the three-step strategy of BDS.

The BDS-3 system consists of a total of 30 satellites,including 24 MEO satellites,three IGSO satellites and three GEO satellites.

The 55th BeiDou satellite,developed by the China Academy of Space Technology,is the third GEO satellite as well as the 30th satellite of BDS-3.This type of satellites can provide navigation,short message communications,satellite-based augmentation,international search and rescue,as well as precise point positioning services.

BDS system is an important national time-and-space infrastructure component developed by China to meet the requirements of national security,economic and social development.It can provide all-weather,all-day and high-precision positioning,navigation and timing services to global users.

China started to explore a navigation satellite system optimised for its national conditions in the 1980s,laying down a three-step strategy.

The first step was to construct the BDS-1 system,providing services for China.

The second step was to construct the BDS-2 system,providing services in the Asian-Pacific region.

The third step was to complete the BDS-3 system,providing global services.

China plans to build a more integrated positioning navigation and timing(PNT) system by 2035.BeiDou will serve the whole world and benefit hu-mankind with more functions and better performance.

The BDS system has been widely used in the fields of transportation,agriculture,forestry and fishery,hydrological monitoring,meteorological survey,communication time systems,electric power management,disaster relief and disaster reduction,public safety and so on,creating remarkable economic and social benefits.

According to statistics,the total output value of China's satellite navigation and location service industry reached 345 billion RMB in 2019.The integrated development of BeiDou with new technologies such as the internet,big data,artificial intelligence enable the construction of an emerging industry ecosystem,creating a new engine and booster for the rapid development of the BeiDou industry,promoting the transformation of products and life style under a continual evolving business model.

The LM-3B carrier rocket was developed by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology.The R&D team optimized the igniter of cryogenic engine to further improve the reliability of engine ignition.It also underwent a range of tests before the propellant filling.

The LM-3A family includes LM-3A,LM-3B and LM-3C which are all liquid propellant rockets,utilising cryogenic propellant in the third-stage.LM-3A series carrier rocket has conducted 44 launch missions since it first launched China's first BeiDou navigation experimental satellite on October 31,2000,sending 59 BeiDou satellites into space with a success rate of 100%.

This was the 336th launch of the LM series launch vehicle.(LIU Huaiyu,HU Lanyue/China Space News)