Jul

China Compass Beidou Global Navigation Satellite System Predicted to Challenge All Other GPS

China Compass (Beidou) Constellation Planned by End of 2010. Source: InsideGNSS.com

Here’s an article I found China Daily about the Chinese Compass, or Beidou (Big Dipper) Global Navigation Satellite System which is expected to challenge our U.S. developed GPS, the EU’s GPS and Russia’s GPS.

This Compass GPS is planning on providing regional service to China with 12 satellites in 2011. By the year 2020 China plans to employ a total of 35 satellites in this Compass navigation satellite system.

Also reported is that all four Global Navigation Satellite Systems are negotiating compatibility amongst their civilian-use technologies.

Hu Gang, vice-president of Beijing BDStar Navigation Co Ltd, is quoted as saying yesterday during a two-day national geological information industry summit:

China's Compass-G2 navigation satellite is launched on a Long March-3C carrier rocket at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China's Sichuan Province, April 15, 2009. (Xinhua/Li Gang)

“This could possibly allow a civilian user of global navigation satellite system to have access to more than 120 navigation satellites in the future, which will assure stability and improve accuracy,”

Hu Gang went on to say about the Compass first phase 12 satellites:

“improve the positioning accuracy of the satellite navigation system greatly”

To date, it has been reported that two Compass satellites have been placed into orbit. One was launched in 2007 and the second Compass satellite was launched this past April. China’s State Bureau of Surveying and Mapping reported that:

“the satellite navigation industry is estimated to generate 50 billion yuan ($8 billion) in China by 2010, up from the 12 billion yuan in 2006″

Professional Land Surveyor Source: China Daily