BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS) is a satellite navigation system created by China, which consists of two separate satellite constellations. The first-generation of BeiDou system, called BeiDou-1, was launched in 2000, offering limited coverage and navigation services mainly to users in China. It was decommissioned at the end of 2012, and the second generation, known as BeiDou-2 or COMPASS, was launched in December 2011 with partial constellation. Since December 2012, BeiDou-2 has provided services to customers in the Asia-Pacific region. Moreover, it is expected to offer global coverage with extended regional coverage by the end of 2020.
The Features of BeiDou Navigation Satellite System
BeiDou Navigation Satellite System was created to work as a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), just like GPS, Galileo, and GLONASS. It offers a slight improvement over GLONASS in terms of accuracy and availability. However, it can be better than its competitors when additional ground antennas, signal post-processing, and communication are integrated.
Frequently Asked Questions(FAQs)
What are the different satellite constellations in the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System?
BeiDou Navigation Satellite System has two separate satellite constellations. The first-generation is called BeiDou-1, which consists of three satellites. The second-generation is known as BeiDou-2, and it currently has ten satellites in orbit.
What kind of services does BeiDou Navigation Satellite System offer?
As a GNSS, BeiDou Navigation Satellite System provides positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) services to users worldwide.
Conclusion
BeiDou Navigation Satellite System is a Chinese satellite navigation system that offers PNT services to its users. It has two separate satellite constellations. The first-generation, called BeiDou-1, consists of three satellites that provided limited coverage and navigation services to users in China, while the second-generation, known as BeiDou-2 or COMPASS, offers services in the Asia-Pacific region and will provide global coverage with extended regional coverage by 2020.
