Named for the Chinese word for the Big Dipper constellation, the Beidou constellation achieved an initial operating capability with coverage over the Asia-Pacific region in 2012. Development of the Beidou program began in 1994. The first Beidou test satellite launched in 2000. With Monday’s mission, China has launched 29 Beidou navigation payloads into orbit, but not all of them remain operational.
Satellite Information |
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| Name | BeiDou-3 M5 |
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| Organization | BeiDou |
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| Country | China |
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| Continent | China |
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| Type | Satellite |
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| Launch Date | February 12, 2018 |
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| Launch Site | Xichang, LC-3, China |
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| Launch Vehicle | Long March 3B/YZ-1 |
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| Orbit | Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) |
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| PRN | C23 |
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| Status | Operational |
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