Beidou Navigation Satellite System

The Beidou or Compass Navigation Satellite System is China’s second-generation satellite navigation system currently in the process of being deployed. Building upon the first generation Beidou System, which consisted of just 4 satellites, it is currently one of four navigation satellite systems worldwide. These being, in order of number of satellites deployed:

• Global Positioning System (GPS) of the United States
• Russia's Globalnaya Navigatsionnaya Sputnikovaya Sistema (GLONASS)
• China's Beidou Navigation System
• Europe's Galileo Navigation System.

Similar to the other systems, Beidou offers service to both civilian and military users. The civilian service available to all, which is downgraded from the military service, will provide an accuracy of 10 meters in the user position, 0.2 m/s on the user velocity and 50 nanoseconds in time accuracy.

Unlike the other systems, Beidou includes not only medium earth orbit satellites but also geostationary satellites. Their fixed position in the sky ensures continuous coverage to areas where the satellites are visible. The benefit is that is allows full service with just a limited number of satellites, namely 5 geostationary, 5 inclined geosynchronous and 4 medium earth orbit satellites.

The drawback is that coverage is limited to china and the area surrounding it. Global coverage will be achieved after all medium earth satellites have been launched and placed into orbit.

Another unique feature of Beidou is the ability for authorized users to send and receive text messages up to 120 characters. BeiDou will officially commence service for the Asia-Pacific region by the end of 2012 after completion of 12 months of trial service.

List of current Beidou satellites

Launch Date	Launcher	Satellite	Notes
04/14/07	LM-3A	Compass-M1	Test Satellite
04/15/09	LM-3C	Compass-G2	Not operational
01/17/10	LM-3C	Compass-G1	-
06/02/10	LM-3C	Compass-G3	-
08/01/10	LM-3A	Compass-IGSO1	-
11/01/10	LM-3C	Compass-G4	-
12/18/10	LM-3A	Compass-IGSO2	-
04/10/11	LM-3A	Compass-IGSO3	-
07/26/11	LM-3A	Compass-IGSO4	-
12/02/11	LM-3A	Compass-IGSO5	-
02/24/12	LM-3C	Compass-G5	–
04/29/12	LM-3B	Compass-M3	–
04/29/12	LM-3B	Compass-M4	–
09/18/12	LM-3B	Compass-M5	–
09/18/12	LM-3B	Compass-M6	–
10/25/12	LM-3C	Compass-G6	–

Shaanxi Y-9 Transport Aircraft

The Shaanxi Aircraft Company is conducting trials of a successor to the Y-8, a copy of the Antonov An-12 Cub aircraft.

The Y-9 is a further transport development of the Y-8 Category 3 platform, which also forms the basis for some members of the Y-8 High New Series detailed here.

The new Y-9 is thought to be in the same class as the Lockheed Martin C-130J-30 Super Hercules aircraft.

Specifications Y-9:

    Crew: 3-4
    Capacity: 106 passengers or 132 airborne troops or 9 pallets
    Payload: 25,000 kg cargo    
    Length: 36 m
    Wingspan: 40 m
    Height: 11.3m
    Empty weight: 39,000kg
    Useful load: 25,000kg
    Max. takeoff weight: 77,000kg
    Powerplant: 4 × Zhuzhou WoJiang-6C (FWJ-6C) turboprops, 3,805 kw (5,100 shp) each with JL-4 6-blade composite propeller
    Cruise speed: ~650km/h
    Range: ~5,700 km
    Ferry range: 7,800 km
    Service ceiling: 10,400m

Credit original poster, via Chinese Internet