Posted: Sun, Apr 10, 2011, 11:41 AM ET (1541 GMT)
A Long March rocket placed a Chinese navigation satellite into orbit early Sunday. The Long March 3A rocket lifted off from Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwestern China at 4:47 pm EDT Saturday (2047 GMT Saturday, 4:47 am Beijing time Sunday) and placed a Beidou satellite into orbit. The satellite, the eighth of the overall navigation system, is said by Chinese officials to complete the "basic system"; launches over the next two years will complete a regional network, with a global network analogous to GPS or GLONASS planned for completion by 2020. The launch was the first Chinese mission of 2011.

Related Links:

•  Xinhua article
•  NASASpaceFlight.com article
•  RIA Novosti article
•  AFP article