China launches final satellite of navigation system

China on Tuesday launched final satellite in its Beidou constellation that emulates U.S. Global Positioning System, marking a furr step in country's vance as a major power.

CCTV foot showed launch of satellite onboard a Long March-3 rocket was brocast live from satellite launch base of Xichang, deep in mountains of southwestern China, shortly before 10 a.m.

An initial launch scheduled for last week was scrubbed after checks revealed unspecified technical problems.

third iteration of Beidou Navigation Satellite System promises to provide global cover for timing and navigation, offering an alternative to Russia's GLONASS and European Galileo systems, as well as America's GPS.

first version of Beidou, meaning "Big Dipper," was decommissioned in 2012.

Future plans call for a smarter, more accessible and more integrated system with Beidou at its core, to come online by 2035.