China Expanding its GPS Satellite Network

15 May 2012

Space is getting more crowded with satellites. On April 30th, 2012, China completed a successful launch of two navigation satellites, which become satellites number twelve and thirteen of its rapidly expanding Compass Navigation Satellite System — the country’s second generation satellite navigation system.

Last March, China announced an aggressive goal to place 100 satellites in space by the year 2015, with the hopes to end its reliance on the United States operated Global Positioning System. If China’s global satellite coverage goal is achieved, China will be the third country — in addition to the United States (GPS) and Russia (GLONASS) — to have its own satellite GPS navigation system. They will be decades behind United States and Russia in doing so.

Last year, China launched 19 satellites, which surpassed United States 18 satellites by one. Still, Russia was tops last year by a long shot in its launching of thirty six satellites.

China’s April 30th was the first time the country launched two navigational satellites in one rocket. The one-rocket, two satellites method will help China reach their 100 satellites goal sooner, but the future may enable China to launch a rocket carrier capable of launching up to four satellites within one rocket.

Compass-M3 and Compass M-4 satellites were launches as a pair of navigation satellites using a Long March 3B launch rocket from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center. The country’s future satellite launches will contain satellites to expand its Compass Navigation Satellite System, but also other remote sensing satellites, used for such things as disaster monitoring, crop yield assessments, land survey, and scientific experiments.

China isn’t only just launching their own satellites into space either. To date, China has assisted the launching of over 20 satellites for other countries, such as Pakistan, Bolivia, and Nigeria.

According to the Union of Concerned Scientists, the United States have over 400 active satellites.

By the end of 2012, China hopes to place another three satellites into orbit, giving them a total of 16 satellites — and providing coverage for the entire Pacific-Asia area, including real-time navigation and weather monitoring. On average, the country plans to launch 20 satellites each year in pursuit of their 2015 goal.

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About George Karonis

George Karonis is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of LiveViewGPS Inc., a company he established in 2008 with the vision of making real-time GPS tracking more reliable, affordable, and accessible for businesses of all sizes. Over the past two decades, he has built a reputation as an innovator in GPS tracking, fleet management, asset monitoring, and Push-to-Talk over Cellular (PTToC) communications. Under George's leadership, LiveViewGPS has grown into a nationally recognized provider of GPS tracking solutions, serving businesses, government agencies, educational institutions, law enforcement organizations, and public works departments throughout the United States. The company's technology helps organizations improve operational efficiency, protect valuable assets, increase driver safety, and reduce operating costs through real-time location intelligence. Before founding LiveViewGPS, George developed a background in security, surveillance, and emerging location technologies. His passion for innovation and practical problem solving has driven the development of products that combine dependable hardware with easy-to-use cloud software, giving customers actionable information when it matters most. In 2018, George expanded into nationwide Push-to-Talk over Cellular communications by launching PeakPTT, providing businesses with rugged, instant communication solutions that operate over LTE and Wi-Fi networks. His focus has remained the same throughout his career: delivering dependable technology backed by exceptional customer service and long-term customer relationships. George regularly writes about GPS tracking, fleet management, asset protection, business technology, and communication systems. Through this blog, he shares industry insights, practical advice, and emerging trends to help organizations make informed decisions about tracking technology and connected operations.