Beidou IGSO 2

Description

Beidou IGSO 2, a Chinese navigation satellite, was launched from Xichang on 17 December 2010 at 20:20 UT on a Long March 3A rocket. Beidou IGSO is the fifth craft to join the country's fleet of positioning satellites in 2010. The Beidou fleet will provide Chinese military and citizens an indigenous source of precise navigation information. The Beidou network is expected to provide positioning and navigation services with a positioning accuracy of about 10 m for China and neighboring countries by 2012. More precise navigation data will be provided to Chinese government and military users. Global service is expected to be available from up to 35 Beidou satellites by 2020.