BeiDou Navigation Satellite

China successfully launched its 22nd satellite in the Beidou Navigation Satellite System (BDS) on Wednesday in southwest China’s Sichuan Province. The Beidou system is developed as an alternative to the U.S. Global Positioning System (GPS) to support China’s global navigation and positioning network. The satellite was carried by a Long March-3A carrier rocket launched from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center.