COMPASS IN THE SKY
After traveling for a week, the final satellite in the BeiDou family reached its intended geostationary orbit on June 30. The 55th one in the constellation, it finally completed the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS).
The satellite’s payloads and other systems are working normally, the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation announced on that day.
The launch on June 23 was watched keenly by people at home and abroad. The UN Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) extended congratulations to China on the completion of the BDS constellation.
“Today, we mark the end of a long journey. Initiated in 1994, the BeiDou program has been over 25 years in the making. This result is only possible with a long-standing and sustained commitment to space,” Simonetta Di Pippo, Director of UNOOSA, said.
She called the launch a “historic milestone” and “a significant step toward increasing the availability of
