China launches sixth navigation satellite

BEIJING - China Monday successfully launched its sixth satellite into the space, which will form part of its global navigation and positioning network.

A Long March-3C carrier rocket carrying the “Beidou”, or Compass, navigation satellite took off at 0:26 a.m. from the Xichang satellite launch centre in southwest China’s Sichuan province, Xinhua reported.

It will join five other satellites already in orbit to form a network, which will eventually consist of 35 satellites.

The system will start providing satellite navigation services for Asia-Pacific regions by 2012 and global services by 2020.