China launched a Long March 3A booster from its Xichang base in Sichuan Province in late October, carrying the nation's first navigation satellite.
The spacecraft is a demonstrator of the planned operational two-satellite Beidou Navigation System, which will become "an all-weather regional navigation system providing satellite-guided information" for terrestrial transportation and military navigation, including missile guidance, says China.
China has been planning its own navigation satellite constellation for some time, even though it makes heavy use of the US global positioning system and has been in discussions with Russia over providing funding for that country's GLONASS constellation.
Taiwan has expressed concern that even a twin navigation satellite system would give China a secure source of accurate guidance information for missiles, cruise missiles, aircraft and ships.
The flight is the 29th consecutive successful Long March launch since October 1996.
Source: Flight International