Thirty years of China's Beidou: from "promising" to "promising".
China's Beidou Navigation Satellite System is a global satellite navigation system independently developed by China and the fourth in the world, following the GPS of the United States, the GLONASS of Russia, and the Galileo of the European Union.
The construction of the Beidou system has gone through three stages, from regional coverage to global coverage, from single function to multiple functions, from a single platform to a variety of platforms, from military-based to military-civilian integration, from following development to leading innovation, and from "promising" to "promising".
The origin of the Beidou system can be traced back to 1992, when China** decided to start the development of the Beidou-1 satellite navigation test system to meet the navigation needs of national defense and civilian use. In 1994, China successfully launched the first Beidou-1 satellite, marking China's entry into the era of satellite navigation. In 2000, China completed the construction of the Beidou-1 system, and launched a total of four satellites, which achieved coverage of China and surrounding areas, and provided two-way communication and positioning services, mainly for military purposes.
In 2004, China began the development of the Beidou-2 satellite navigation system to expand coverage and improve service performance. The Beidou-2 system adopts a mixed-orbit networking, including five geostationary orbit satellites and 30 medium-circle earth orbit satellites, providing one-way communication and positioning services, as well as short message communication services. In 2012, China completed the construction of the Beidou-2 system, achieving coverage of the Asia-Pacific region, providing high-precision, high-reliability, and high-efficiency services for military and civilian users.
In 2015, China launched the development of the Beidou-3 satellite navigation system to achieve global coverage and global services. The BDS-3 system adopts a global network, including three geostationary orbit satellites, three inclined geosynchronous orbit satellites and 24 medium-circle earth orbit satellites, providing basic services, enhanced services and regional enhancement services, as well as international search and rescue services. In 2020, China completed the construction of the BDS-3 system, achieving global coverage and providing global users with services with higher precision, more functions, more frequencies, and more signals.
The development of the Beidou system not only reflects China's scientific and technological strength and national will, but also brings great contributions and influences to China's economic and social development and international cooperation. The Beidou system has been widely used in transportation, telecommunications, power and energy, water conservancy and hydrology, surveying and mapping, disaster relief, public safety, agriculture, forestry, animal husbandry and fishery, meteorology and environmental protection, and other fields, providing important infrastructure and information services for China's modernization. The Beidou system has also gone abroad, achieving compatibility and interoperability with satellite navigation systems in other countries and regions, and cooperating with countries and regions along the "Belt and Road", providing more choices and convenience for global users.
In the future, China will continue to promote the innovation and development of the Beidou system, continuously improve the quality and capacity of services, expand application fields and markets, continuously strengthen international exchanges and cooperation, and continue to contribute to the progress and well-being of human society. Beidou system will continue to adhere to the concept of "made in China, shared by the world", and work with other countries in the world to jointly build a harmonious space environment, jointly promote the development of satellite navigation, and jointly create a better future for mankind. The Beidou system, from "promising" to "promising", from China's Beidou to the world's Beidou, from the glory of Beidou to the glory of mankind, is moving towards a higher goal and a farther future.