spacetoday.net: China launches navigation satellite

Posted: Sat, Apr 14, 2007, 8:40 AM ET (1240 GMT)
Long March 3A launch of Compass satellite (Xinhua)

A Long March rocket launched a Chinese navigation satellite early Saturday, the second Chinese launch in less than a week. The Long March 3A rocket lifted off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center at 4:14 pm EDT Friday (2014 GMT Friday, 4:11 am Beijing time Saturday) and placed its satellite into a medium Earth orbit with an altitude of 21,500 km. The spacecraft, whose specific name was not given in Chinese accounts of the launch, is said to be part of China's planned Compass navigation system. The system will eventually consist of 5 GEO satellites and 30 MEO satellites, although no timetable was given for the system's completion. China launched a GEO navigation satellite in February.