China launches navigation satellite

The navigation satellite is China`s 11th homemade navigation satellite, also called Beidou or Compass system.

Beijing: China launched a navigation satellite early Saturday.The orbiter was successfully launched into space at 12.12 a.m. It is China`s 11th homemade navigation satellite, also called Beidou or Compass system.
A Long March-3C rocket carried the satellite into space from Xichang launch centre in southwestern Sichuan province, Xinhua reported.

Beidou satellites are used in transportation, weather forecasting, marine fisheries, hydrological monitoring and mapping.

China built Beidou in 2000 to break its dependence on the US Global Positioning System (GPS) and create its own global positioning system by 2020.

IANS

Zee News App: Read latest news of India and world, bollywood news, business updates, cricket scores, etc. Download the Zee news app now to keep up with daily breaking news and live news event coverage.