At 22:07 on September 19, China successfully launched two Beidou navigation satellites at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center. Photographed by Liang Keyan (Xinhua News Agency)

Beijing, September 20 (Yu Jianbin and Yang Xin) At 22:07 on September 19, China successfully launched the 37th and 38th Beidou navigation satellites with the Long March 3B carrier rocket (and the upper stage of the Expedition 1) at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in the way of "one arrow and two stars". These two satellites belong to the mid circle earth orbit satellites and are the thirteenth and fourteenth networking satellites of the Beidou-3 system in China.

After more than three hours of flight, the satellite successfully entered the scheduled orbit. Later, it will be tested and evaluated, and networked with 12 Beidou-3 navigation satellites previously launched to provide timely services. According to the plan, a basic system consisting of 18 Beidou-3 satellites will be built by the end of the year to provide services for countries along the "Belt and Road".

The two Beidou navigation satellites launched this time are loaded with standard equipment of the International Search and Rescue Organization for the first time, and will provide distress alarm and positioning services for users around the world. After the successful launch of the satellite, the Beidou mid orbit search and rescue system will be built to improve the efficiency of the global satellite search and rescue system's distress alarm forwarding and provide "China's guard" for people in distress around the world. The successful launch also marks a solid step for the Beidou system to "go global" in the field of global distress rescue. In the next step, relevant departments of the Ministry of Transport will continue to work closely with the China Satellite Navigation System Management Office to make preparations for the construction of the subsequent satellite borne search and rescue payload.

People's Daily (September 21, 2018, 4th Edition)

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