Article Posted on : - Nov 01, 2010

A file photo of Compass satellite launch.

BEIJING (BNS): China on Monday successfully launched its sixth ‘Beidou’ or Compass navigation satellite as part of its plans to set up an indigenous satellite-navigation and positioning network.

The satellite was launched at 0:26 am local time on Monday from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China’s Sichuan Province by a Long March-3III carrier rocket, the official Xinuha news agency said.

The latest ‘Beidou’ will form a network by joining five other such satellites already in orbit. This network will eventually consist of a total of 35 satellites to provide navigation services across the globe.

The network will provide satellite navigation services for Asia-Pacific regions by 2012 and global services by 2020, the news agency said.