China's Beidou 24 main satellites are in place! High-density launch sets a world record

my country successfully launched the 52nd and 53rd Beidou navigation satellites at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, completing the deployment of the core constellation of the Beidou-3 global system and setting a world record for the networking speed of the global satellite navigation system.

In recent years, the BeiDou system has entered a period of high-density launches. Yang Changfeng, chief designer of China's BeiDou satellite navigation system, said in an interview with reporters at the launch site that since the first launch of the BeiDou-3 global networking satellite in 2017, 18 launches have been successful.

The BeiDou system is a global satellite navigation system independently built and operated by my country. The construction of the BeiDou-3 global system was launched in 2009, and the first launch of a global networking satellite was achieved on November 5, 2017.

Yang Changfeng introduced that with the joint efforts of the project's seven major systems, more than 300 participating research and construction units, and more than 100,000 scientific researchers, 18 networking launches were successfully carried out in succession in just over two years, and 28 Beidou-3 networking satellites and 2 Beidou-2 backup satellites were successfully sent into the predetermined orbit. "With an average density of 1.2 satellites launched per month, we have refreshed the world record for the networking speed of the global satellite navigation system."

(Photo from Xinhuanet, taken by Guo Wenbin)

China began exploring a satellite navigation system development path suitable for its national conditions in the late 20th century, and gradually formed a "three-step" development strategy: the BeiDou-1 system was completed by the end of 2000 to provide services to China; the BeiDou-2 system was completed by the end of 2012 to provide services to the Asia-Pacific region; and the BeiDou global system was completed around 2020 to provide services to the world.

"At present, the construction of the Beidou-3 project has entered the final sprint stage. We plan to launch two geosynchronous orbit satellites before June 2020 to fully build the Beidou-3 system and provide better services to the world." Yang Changfeng said that at the same time, the overall demonstration and key technology research and development of the Beidou system's continued development have been initiated, and it is planned to build a comprehensive positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) system with the Beidou system as the core by 2035.