Beidou-4: Ushering in a New Era of Navigation Accuracy Surpassing Military-Grade GPS?

Beidou-4: Ushering in a New Era of Navigation Accuracy Surpassing Military-Grade GPS?In recent years, China's independent navigation capabilities have matured with the gradual improvement of the Beidou Satellite Navigation System. From everyday smartphones to precision navigation in automobiles, Beidou has become integrated into various aspects of people's lives

Beidou-4: Ushering in a New Era of Navigation Accuracy Surpassing Military-Grade GPS?

In recent years, China's independent navigation capabilities have matured with the gradual improvement of the Beidou Satellite Navigation System. From everyday smartphones to precision navigation in automobiles, Beidou has become integrated into various aspects of people's lives. However, Beidou's progress extends far beyond this. The recent official announcement of the launch of the fourth-generation Beidou project Beidou-4 aims to further enhance user navigation experience, sparking widespread attention. So, what advantages does Beidou-4 possess? How does it compare to GPS? Why are Beidou system updates frequent, while GPS hasn't seen large-scale updates in decades? This article will delve into these questions, starting with the development history of the Beidou system.

Beidou: From the "Lighthouse Project" to Global Coverage

As early as the 1960s, China conceived the idea of building its own independent satellite navigation system, the "Lighthouse Project," which can be considered the predecessor of the Beidou satellite. However, due to technological limitations and funding constraints at the time, the project ultimately failed to materialize. Despite this, the valuable experience gained from the "Lighthouse Project" laid the foundation for the subsequent Beidou project.

The Beidou project officially commenced in the 1990s. In 1994, the Beidou-1 project was officially launched. After years of arduous efforts by researchers, three Beidou-1 satellites were successfully launched and formed a network by 2003, marking a historical breakthrough for China in the field of independent navigation satellites and achieving a leap from nothing to something.

However, Beidou-1 also had significant shortcomings: positioning accuracy was only around 20 meters, coverage was limited to within China, and it used an active positioning method, easily exposing user locations. Therefore, Beidou-1 was more of a half-finished product, providing valuable experience for subsequent improvements and upgrades.

Beidou-2: Asia-Pacific Coverage, Significant Performance Improvement

Given the shortcomings of Beidou-1, the Beidou-2 project was officially launched in 2004. To accelerate technological progress, China attempted to collaborate with Europe on the Galileo project. However, disagreements during the collaboration led to its breakdown. Faced with this challenge, Chinese scientists resolutely chose the path of independent research and development.

Through persistent efforts, by 2012, all Beidou-2 satellites were successfully launched, forming a network of 14 satellites, including 5 geostationary satellites, 5 inclined geosynchronous orbit satellites, and 4 medium Earth orbit satellites. Compared to Beidou-1, Beidou-2's performance was significantly improved, with positioning accuracy increased to 10 meters and coverage extended to the Asia-Pacific region. The success of Beidou-2 marked a new stage for China's independent navigation system.

Beidou-3: Global Coverage, Accuracy Surpassing GPS

Building on this, the Beidou-3 project was officially launched in 2009 and completed in 2020 after 11 years. The Beidou-3 system consists of 30 satellites, including 24 medium Earth orbit satellites, 3 geostationary satellites, and 3 inclined geosynchronous orbit satellites. Its positioning accuracy reached an astonishing 4.4 meters, surpassing the civilian accuracy of GPS at the time, and achieved global coverage. The completion of Beidou-3 marked China's possession of an independent, secure, and reliable global satellite navigation system.

Beidou's Wide Application and Social Benefits

As of November 2023, the Beidou system has over 60 satellites, and all core components are domestically produced. The widespread application of the Beidou system has greatly promoted China's modernization in transportation, agricultural and hydrological monitoring, weather forecasting, and disaster relief. In scenarios such as ocean navigation, forest fire prevention, and earthquake rescue, the Beidou system provides strong support for ensuring safety and efficient operations.

Currently, most Android phones and some foreign brands of phones are compatible with the Beidou system, which provides navigation and positioning services to 1.5 billion users in over 230 countries and regions worldwide, and its influence is growing daily.

The Development of GPS: A Three-Step Strategic Deployment

Many people wonder why the Beidou system needed a three-step approach, while GPS seemed to achieve its goal in one step. In fact, the development of GPS also went through three stages.

The first-generation GPS (Block I) began launching in 1978 and completed its network in 1985 with only 5-6 satellites. Its lifespan was only 8 years, positioning accuracy was 100 meters, and coverage was limited.

The second-generation GPS (Block II) began launching in 1989 and completed its network in 1999 with a total of 24 satellites. Its lifespan was 7.5 years, and its accuracy and coverage were significantly improved compared to the first generation.

The third-generation GPS (Block III) began launching in 2018, with plans to deploy 32 satellites. Its lifespan is 15 years, its accuracy is three times higher than the second-generation GPS, and it adds features such as anti-laser arrays and separation of military and civilian frequency bands, significantly enhancing its anti-jamming capabilities. However, the third-generation GPS is still under deployment.

This shows that the development of GPS was not achieved overnight, but rather through long-term development and iterative upgrades.

Beidou-4: Embarking on a New Journey towards Decimeter-Level Accuracy

The success of Beidou-3 marks a world-renowned achievement for China in the field of satellite navigation. However, China has not stopped there but has set its sights on a more ambitious goal Beidou-4.

Planning for Beidou-4 was evident as early as September 2024. With the launch of the last two backup satellites of Beidou-3, Yang Changfeng, chief designer of the Beidou project, announced that the next generation of Beidou is about to arrive, marking the official commencement of the Beidou-4 project.

According to relevant information, after Beidou-4 is completed, its accuracy will reach the decimeter level, and it is expected to surpass the accuracy of US military-grade GPS. This will further solidify China's position in the global satellite navigation field.

The Beidou Spirit: Independent Innovation, Forging Ahead

The success of the Beidou system is inseparable from the hard work and tireless efforts of generations of researchers. From initial technological bottlenecks to today's global leadership, Beidou personnel have overcome countless difficulties and fully demonstrated the spirit of independent innovation.

The construction process of the Beidou project also showcases the rapid development of China's scientific and technological strength and the tenacious spirit of the Chinese people. In the future, the Beidou system will continue to develop and improve, providing even more accurate and reliable navigation services to global users.

References:

Beijing Daily News [Expected! China will deploy Beidou-4 satellites]

China Science Communication [Breaking through barriers, shining in the starry sky - the "growth history" of Beidou]

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