China’s BeiDou satellite navigation system

[adroth]

Chinese precision guided weapons use their own satellite navigation system. If this ever happens . . . could the AFP become a user of the Beidou satellite navigation system?

He specified that the Philippines is asking for precision-guided munitions, not missiles, which are more "sophisticated."

Precision-guided munitions are satellite-guided munitions designed to hit a specific target. Lorenzana said PGMs will "lessen" casualties, compared to the use of unguided bombs.

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Beidou

https://www.liveviewgps.com/blog/gps-main-competitors-galileo-beidou-glonass/

Currently, China’s Beidou satellite navigation system operates with 16 satellites that service the Asia-Pacific region, but current plans include global expansion to 30 satellites by 2020. The current system is accurate to within five meters in trials and has designs on improvements to reach accuracy measurements within centimeters in order to compete with the US GPS, which is the current dominant force in positioning systems worldwide.

The Chinese government sees the success of Beidou as critical for successful, accurate, and independent navigation for military purposes, including the guidance of missiles, warships, and attack aircraft. They are quick to point out, however, that the implications reach far beyond militaristic designs and work for civilian purposes as well.

Beidou offers something no other GPS system does offer though by providing telecommunication services. In addition to providing users with location and time information, Beidou also allows them to communicate with other users through text messages.

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https://www.researchgate.net/figure/236080831_fig1_Figure-1-Ground-tracks-of-the-BeiDou-satellites-and-distribution-of-the-experimental

 Ground tracks of the BeiDou satellites and distribution of the experimental tracking stations



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China’s version of GPS ‘is now just as accurate’
Developer of Beidou global positioning system says it can match performance of US rival
PUBLISHED : Monday, 26 September, 2016, 12:00am
UPDATED : Monday, 26 September, 2016, 12:00am
COMMENTS: 10


China’s Beidou navigation system is now accurate within centimetres and on par with the US Global Positioning System (GPS), said a scientist who has been developing the technology.

The system could even offer more precise positioning services than its US rival within China, but further support was needed to make GPS users switch to Beidou, navigational-systems expert Xu Ying said at a technology expo in Hong Kong on Sunday.

Beijing has been building the system to make its domestic users, including the military, less dependent on foreign technology. Most Chinese lighthouses, military facilities and fishing boats had been using it since an Asia-Pacific network was completed in 2012, officials said earlier.

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[adroth]

China to launch first Beidou-3 navigation satellite

BEIJING, 18 January (BelTA - People's Daily) - Chinese navigation satellite Beidou-3 is scheduled to be launched in July 2017, according to its developer, China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC). The company claimed that six to eight satellites will be deployed within the year. China has completed the construction of the Beidou-2 system consisting of 14 Beidou satellites and 32 ground stations. The launch of 18 satellites in the global coverage constellation will be completed in 2018 to guarantee basic service for countries along the Belt and Road route. By 2020, 35 Beidou-3 satellites will have been sent into space, providing service to users around the globe. In addition to expanded coverage, the performance of Beidou-3 will be greatly improved. Its life span can reach 12 years.

Read full text at: http://eng.belta.by/society/view/china-to-launch-first-beidou-3-navigation-satellite-98030-2017/

[adroth]

China to launch 6-8 latest navigation satellites in 2017
Source: Xinhua   2017-03-06 21:57:35

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2017-03/06/c_136107388.htm

BEIJING, March 6 (Xinhua) -- China plans to launch six to eight BeiDou-3 satellites in 2017, according to a senior designer of the satellite navigation system.

It is part of a plan to put 35 BeiDou satellites into space to form an orbiting satellite network and offer worldwide navigation services by 2020, said Yang Yuanxi, deputy chief designer of the BeiDou satellite navigation system, on Monday.

Yang was speaking on the sidelines of the fifth session of the 12th Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee, of which he is a member.

Compared to earlier generation products, the BeiDou-3 is able to cover a wider range and has a longer lifespan of 12 years, according to Bao Weimin, another CPPCC National Committee member and an official with China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation.

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China has already sent 22 BeiDou satellites into space.

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[Ayoshi]

China adds two more satellites to Beidou-3 constellation | IHS Jane's 360 - 07 November 2017

China launched a Long March 3B rocket from the Xichang space centre in Sichuan Province on 5 November that placed two more Beidou-3 navigation satellites into medium Earth orbit (MEO).

The launch of the satellites had been expected in July, but investigations into the failure of a similar rocket to place a communications satellite in the correct orbit in June led to the four-month delay.

The Beidou programme is being implemented in three phases and more than 30 satellites have been launched since October 2000. Four satellites were placed in orbit during the first phase, Beidou-1, which was largely experimental and was then superseded by Beidou-2, which became operational in 2012. The 12 operational Beidou-2 satellites provide coverage over China and the Asia-Pacific region.

Unlike the US Global Positioning System (GPS), which operates four or more satellites in each of six medium Earth orbital planes, the Beidou system has satellites in geostationary (GEO), inclined geosynchronous (IGSO) and MEOs.

China launched a Long March 3B rocket from the Xichang space centre in Sichuan Province on 5 November that placed two more Beidou-3 navigation satellites into medium Earth orbit. Source: Xinhua

[12th BCT]

Makes sense only if we switch camps, from pro-US, to a chiness ally.

And it has to be a 100 per cent switch.

[mamiyapis]

Not necessarily. We could stock smart bomb kits from both sides if needed.

If I was an Arsenal director, I would partner with defense companies for a smart bomb kits adaptable to using both GPS and Beidou either interchangeably or simultaneously.

I have a feeling a non-aligned smart bomb kit like that would have a very big market

[Ayoshi]

China’s BeiDou satellite navigation system breaks underwater barriers, naval shipbuilder says
Published: 6:05am, 20 Jun, 2019

China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation (CSIC) said underwater precision positioning tests conducted by its No 716 Research and Development Institute in waters off Lianyungang in Jiangsu province, proved that it had overcome a number of core technical problems with the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System.

CSIC, China’s biggest state-owned naval shipbuilder, said the tests showed that the BeiDou system could not only provide accurate and consistent positioning data to underwater vessels, but could also send tracking and positioning information from underwater devices to shore-based and surface stations.

China sends twin BeiDou navigation satellites into space via a single carrier rocket from Xichang Satellite Launch Centre in Xichang, Sichuan province, last year. Photo: Xinhua
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Improvements to the BeiDou system could help China in Arctic exploration. Photo: Xinhua

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3015265/chinas-beidou-satellite-navigation-system-breaks-underwater

[Ayoshi]

https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/chinas-final-beidou-navigation-satellite-launch-postponed-for-indefinite-period

18 June 2020 00:00 GMT+0
China's final Beidou navigation satellite launch postponed for indefinite period

The 55th Beidou satellite was due to be launched from the Xichang Satellite Launch Centre using a Long March 3B rocket and placed in geostationary orbit.

A report from the Xinhua News Agency on 6 April stated that the satellite had arrived at Xichang two days earlier and that the launch would take place in May. However, the launch appears to have taken place on 16 June, which may reflect that there had already been a slight postponement.

Chinese media sources stated that the launch was postponed because of technical problems experienced during the pre-launch test sequence.

The Long March 3B intended to lift the Beidou satellite into orbit is the same type of vehicle as launched on 10 April carrying the Indonesian Palapa communications satellite but a malfunction related to the rocket’s third stage resulted in the loss of the satellite.

On 16 March the Chinese satellite launch programme had suffered another setback with the failure of the first launch of a Long March 7A rocket carrying the Xinjishu Yanzheng-6 satellite, which was probably related to a military satellite programme.