(UTV | COLOMBO) – China has successfully put into orbit the final satellite in its BeiDou-3 navigation system, further advancing the country as a major space power.
Tuesday’s launch will allow China to no longer rely on the US government-owned Global Positioning System (GPS).
The $10bn (£8bn) network is made up of 35 satellites and provide global navigation coverage.
It comes as tensions between Beijing and Washington are increasing over the coronavirus, trade and Hong Kong.
The launch had been scheduled for last week but was delayed after technical problems were found with the rocket in pre-launch tests.
The third version of the Beidou Navigation Satellite System (BDS) offers an alternative to Russia’s GLONASS and the European Galileo systems, as well as America’s GPS.
Future plans promise to support a more accessible and integrated system scheduled to come online by 2035 with BDS at its core.