37210 - BEIDOU G4

BEIDOU-G4, a Chinese navigation satellite, was launched from Xichang on 2010 October 31 at 16:26 UT by a Long March 3C rocket. BEIDOU-G4 is part of China's Compass Navigation Satellite System (CNSS) which will eventually consist of 35 vehicles providing continuous, real-time, passive 3D geo-spatial positioning and speed measurement. CNSS will have two levels of service, ranging from a civilian service which will allow for an accuracy of 10 m in the user position, 0.2 m/s on the user velocity and 50 ns in time accuracy; and the military and authorized users service, providing higher accuracies. The system will provide services for users in China and its neighboring regions, covering an area of about 120 degrees longitude in the Northern Hemisphere. BEIDOU-G4 is expected to have a lifespan of eight years.