China adds 20th satellite to its GPS alternative BeiDou

The constellation of BeiDou’s navigation system – China’s alternative to America’s GPS – received its 20th satellite on Sunday, Xinhua reported. The satellite was launched by a Long March 3B rocket from the Xichang center in southwest China and placed into inclined geosynchronous orbit. The complete system will have 27 satellites in medium earth orbit and five in geostationary orbit. Beijing plans to launch seven to nine more BeiDou satellites this year and have the system fully operational next year.