The 8th China Satellite Navigation Academic Annual Conference held in Shanghai learned that China plans to launch the Beidou-3 global networking satellite in the second half of 2017, and take the lead in providing basic services to countries along the "the Belt and Road" in 2018.
The China Satellite Navigation Academic Annual Conference is one of the three major international satellite navigation academic conferences. The 8th Annual Conference, with the theme of "Positioning, Internet of Things", will showcase the achievements of the construction and development of the Beidou satellite navigation system and major satellite navigation systems around the world through high-end forums, exhibitions of satellite navigation technology and application achievements, and special events.
Wang Li, Chairman of the China Satellite Navigation System Commission, said at the opening ceremony of the annual meeting that China plans to launch 6 to 8 Beidou-3 global networking satellites in the second half of 2017, and complete 18 satellite launches around 2018, taking the lead in providing basic services to countries along the "the Belt and Road"; By 2020, we aim to establish a global service capability and build a world-class global satellite navigation system.
China began exploring a development path for satellite navigation systems that was suitable for its national conditions in the late 20th century, gradually forming 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; The Beidou Global System will be established around 2020 to provide services to the world.
At present, the first two steps have been achieved, and China has become the third country in the world after the United States and Russia to have an independent satellite navigation system.
The construction of the Beidou-3 system is steadily advancing, and five Beidou-3 satellites have been tested and verified, comprehensively breaking through the core key technologies of the system. "Ran Chengqi, Director of the China Satellite Navigation System Management Office, introduced that the Beidou system will ensure continuous and stable operation, meet the promised performance indicators and steadily improve, gradually possessing global service capabilities.
Yang Changfeng, the chief designer of China's Beidou Satellite Navigation System, stated that the Beidou-3 system has added service signals with better performance, higher compatibility and interoperability with other system signals, and better user experience on the basis of the Beidou-2 system. It has achieved higher precision satellite clocks and inter satellite link technology, and the high-precision spatiotemporal information service capability will be greatly improved, providing strong impetus for accelerating the construction of a national comprehensive positioning, navigation, and timing system.
The Beidou-2 system was established in August 2004 and officially provided regional services by the end of 2012. The system is currently running continuously and steadily, with performance indicators steadily improving. It provides positioning, speed measurement, timing, wide area differential, and short message communication services for users in the Asia Pacific region, and has won the special prize of the 2016 National Science and Technology Progress Award.
