SCMP quoted a statement from the China Aerospace Corporation (CASC) saying that the launch was carried out at 8:43 a.m. Hanoi time from the Westerly Satellite Launch Center, in Sichuan Province in southwestern China.
Mr. Zhang Xueyu, director of the Russian Lunar Satellite Launch Center, declared the launch a success, the satellite entered the designated orbit. Meanwhile, Yang Changfeng, technical design director of the Ngu Dau satellite positioning system, told CCTV that the final satellite launch to complete the global positioning system means China has become a world power. The successful launch has really shocked us, said Mr. Yang.
The Truong Chinh 3B rocket has put the 35th satellite into orbit, completing the establishment of a global positioning system called Bac Dau. This last satellite will coordinate with the previously launched satellites of the Bac Dau system after validating the orbit and conducting a series of tests.
The Global Bac Dau positioning system (BDS) was set up by China to compete with the US GPS system, Russia's GLONASS and the EU's Galileo system.
According to the plan, this year BDS will provide tour guiding services worldwide.
According to Nhan Dan newspaper, the BDS system was completed 6 months earlier than planned.
The satellites and rocket used in the June 23 launch were developed by the Chinese Academy of Space Technology and the Chinese Lunar Lunar Plane Technology Academy - both under the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation.
