China to complete Beidou competitor to GPS with new launches

BEIJING: China said Friday its Beidou Navigation Satellite System that emulates the U.S. Global Positioning System will be competed with the launch of its final two satellites in the first half of next year.

Project director Ran Chengqi told reporters that the core of the positioning system was completed this month with the launch additional satellites bringing its total constellation to 24.

That was up from 19 the year before, making it one of rising space power China’s most complex projects.

Ran described the system at a rare news conference as having “high performance indicators, new technology systems, high localization, mass production networking and a wide range of users.”