ISTANBUL

China on Wednesday launched into space its first satellite since July 2020 for its homegrown BeiDou Navigation Satellite System.

The satellite was launched from Xichang Satellite Launch Center in the country’s southwestern Sichuan province.

“This has been the first Beidou satellite launched since July 31, 2020, when the Beidou system began providing full-scale global services,” Chinese public broadcaster CGTN reported.

Launched in 2000, the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System consists of two separate satellite constellations.

According to the China National Space Administration (CNSA), the Beidou system focuses on the needs of national security and economic and social development.

“It provides global users with all-weather, all-time, high-precision positioning, navigation and nationally important space infrastructure for time service,” a note about Beidou system on CNSA website read.

In a white paper published last year by the country’s State Council Information Office, titled China's Space Program: A 2021 Perspective, Beijing had highlighted the “rapid and innovative progress” made by China’s space industry since 2016, such as improving its space infrastructure, operationalizing its BeiDou Navigation Satellite System, and completing a high-resolution Earth observation system.

According to the paper, China coordinated the development of its BeiDou Navigation Satellite System with the US’ Global Positioning System, Russia’s GLONASS system, and Europe’s Galileo system.

“It has carried out in-depth cooperation with them in the fields of compatibility, interoperability, monitoring and assessment, and joint application,” the paper had said.

Over the past five years until 2022, Beijing had inked 46 space cooperation agreements or memorandums of understanding with 19 countries and regions and four international organizations, according to the document.