China successfully launches last satellite for its BeiDou Navigation Satellite System

China on Tuesday successfully launched last satellite of its BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS), touted to be a competitor to Global Positioning System (GPS) of US, taking ar step to becoming a major power. satellite was launched on Tuesday morning from Xichang Satellite Launch Centre in southwest China's Sichuan Province.

satellite, 55th in family of BeiDou that means "Big Dipper" in Chinese, was successfully sent into by a Long March-3B carrier rocket, according to China Satellite Navigation Office, state-run CGTN reported. launch will mark completion of country's domestically developed BeiDou network, one of four global navigation networks alongside with US' GPS, Russia's GLONASS and European Union's Galileo.

India too is building its navigational system called Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS), with an operational name of NAVIC. Some of countries like Pakistan are using BDS. China is also promoting its use in countries signed-up for its mega Belt and Ro Initiative, (BRI).

BDS-3 satellite was originally scheduled to be launched on June 16, but it was later postponed due to technical problems which were discovered in pre-launch tests. latest GEO satellite is 55th BDS system, and will work with or members of network, allowing global users to access high-accuracy navigation, positioning and timing as well as communication services, official daily Global Times reported earlier.

Compared to previous generation series, constellation of BDS-3 with an array of 30 satellites flying on three different orbit planes - three at GEO, three at inclined geosynchrous orbits, and 24 at medium Earth orbit - have higher bandwidth. y enable enhanced communication capability and carrying more accurate and stable domestically developed atomic clocks to improve precision of timing and navigation services, report said.

first BeiDou satellite entered orbit in 2,000, and started providing positioning, navigation, timing and messaging services to domestic users in China and users in Asia-Pacific region in December 2012. BDS system started providing global services at end of 2018, when construction of BDS-3 primary system h been completed.

Tuesday mission will complete BDS-3 system, which, according to Wu Di, a scholar with satellite positioning techlogy centre of Wuhan University, will furr enhance quality of services of system for global users providing stronger signals.