Home - Search - Browse - Alphabetic Index: 0- 1- 2- 3- 4- 5- 6- 7- 8- 9
A- B- C- D- E- F- G- H- I- J- K- L- M- N- O- P- Q- R- S- T- U- V- W- X- Y- Z

---

Beidou 3

---

Status: Operational 2015. First Launch: 2015-03-30. Last Launch: 2015-09-29. Number: 4 . Gross mass: 850 kg (1,870 lb).

The MEO constellation will comprise 27 satellites.The new-design satellites feature a phased array antenna for navigation signals and a laser retroreflector. As they have no apogee propulsion system, they require the launch vehicle to perform the final orbit insertion. Using an additional dispenser bus, the MEO satellites can be launched as single stellites on a CZ-3C/YZ1; two at a time on a CZ-3B/YZ1; or four at a time on a CZ-5.

NASA NSSDC Master Catalog Description

Beidou 3, also known as Compass G1, is a Chinese navigation satellite intended to form part of an eventual system, also known as Compass, composed of 35 satellites in geostationary and medium altitude orbits. Beidou 3, intended for a geostationary orbit, was launched by a Long March 3C rocket from Xichang at 16:12 UT on 16 January 2010. The Compass system is expected to be operational for Asian-Pacific users by 2012 and to global users by 2020. The positional accuracy for civilian users is expected to be about 10 m.

• Beidou I1-S - . Payload: Beidou DW 17 / Beidou 3i. Mass: 850 kg (1,870 lb). Nation: China. Class: Navigation. Type: Navigation satellite. Spacecraft: Beidou 3. USAF Sat Cat: 40549 . COSPAR: 2015-019A. Apogee: 35,985 km (22,360 mi). Perigee: 35,599 km (22,120 mi). Inclination: 54.85 deg. Period: 1,436.39 min.

  First in the Beidou-3 generation of Chinese navigation satellites. For the first time the CZ-3C rocket used an additional fourth stage, the Yuanzheng-1 (Expedition-1). The stage used UDMH/N2O4 storable propellants like the Briz-M or Fregat, but had an even lower thrust - only 6.5 kN - and so will need yet longer burn times.

• Beidou M1-S - . Payload: Beidou DW 18 / Beidou 3m. Mass: 850 kg (1,870 lb). Nation: China. Class: Navigation. Type: Navigation satellite. Spacecraft: Beidou 3. USAF Sat Cat: 40748 . COSPAR: 2015-037A. Apogee: 21,547 km (13,388 mi). Perigee: 21,509 km (13,365 mi). Inclination: 55.06 deg. Period: 773.24 min.

  Single launch of the first two of the third generation medium-orbit Beidou satellites. The CZ-3B launch vehicle deployed the YZ-1 upper stage in a 189 km x 18390 km x 55 deg transfer orbit. CZ-3B stage 3 coasted in a low parking orbit for only a minute or so before its second burn to the elliptical orbit. The YZ-1 then separated and made its first burn almost immediately at about 12:45 GMT, raising apogee to 22,000 km. The Beidou/YZ-1 stack then coasted to apogee and at about 16:10 GMT the YZ-1 made a second burn to circularize the orbit. The two payloads were quickly released in a 21,523 km x 22,193 km x 55 deg orbit. At about 16:20 GMT YZ-1 made a disposal burn to a 22,151 x 27,736 km x 55 deg orbit.

• Beidou M2-S - . Payload: Beidou DW 19 / Beidou 3m. Mass: 850 kg (1,870 lb). Nation: China. Class: Navigation. Type: Navigation satellite. Spacecraft: Beidou 3. USAF Sat Cat: 40749 . COSPAR: 2015-037B. Apogee: 21,547 km (13,388 mi). Perigee: 21,510 km (13,360 mi). Inclination: 55.06 deg. Period: 773.27 min.

• Beidou I2-S - . Payload: Beidou DW 20 / Beidou 3i. Mass: 850 kg (1,870 lb). Nation: China. Class: Navigation. Type: Navigation satellite. Spacecraft: Beidou 3. USAF Sat Cat: 40938 . COSPAR: 2015-053A. Apogee: 35,962 km (22,345 mi). Perigee: 35,602 km (22,122 mi). Inclination: 54.98 deg. Period: 1,435.85 min. The first Beidou navigation satellite to carry a hydrogen-maser-based clock. Also called Beidou-3 I-2S, deployed in an inclined synchronous orbit. Unlike the previous two flights, this mission did not appear to have used the YZ-1 upper stage..

• Beidou DW 21 - . Payload: Beidou M3-S. Nation: China. Class: Navigation. Type: Navigation satellite. Spacecraft: Beidou 3. USAF Sat Cat: 41315 . COSPAR: 2016-006A. Apogee: 21,981 km (13,658 mi). Perigee: 21,512 km (13,366 mi). Inclination: 55.00 deg.