China on Wednesday successfully launched an orbiter into space
which is a part of its indigenous satellite navigation and
positioning network known as Beidou, aimed at reducing the
dependence on U.S. Global Positioning System (GPS). The orbiter,
launched from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in
southwestern Sichuan Province, was boosted by a Long March-3A
carrier rocket into a geostationary orbit. China started to
build up its own satellite navigation system to break its
dependence on the GPS since 2000. Between October 2000 and May
2003, China had set up a regional satellite navigation system
after launching three Beidou, or Compass system, geostationary
satellites. The system was known as Beidou-1 and is said to have
played an important role in the rescue efforts following the
devastating earthquake in May 2008 in Wenchuan as it provided
the only channel connecting the quake-hit area and the outside,
state-run Xinhua news agency reported. The Beidou-1 system can
not meet growing demand, so a better funct