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Launch Success
Liftoff Time (GMT)
16:16:00
Tuesday April 14, 2009
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BeiDou-2 (formerly known as COMPASS) is a constellation of navigation satellites. It is not an extension of the older BeiDou-1 but rather supersedes it outright. The new system will be a constellation of 35 satellites, which include 5 geostationary orbit satellites for backward compatibility with BeiDou-1, and 30 non-geostationary satellites (27 in medium Earth orbit and 3 in inclined geosynchronous orbit), that will offer complete coverage of the globe.
Geostationary Transfer Orbit
1 Payload
4,600 kilograms
Agency
CASCPrice
$20.14 million
Rocket
Height: 54.84m
Payload to Orbit
LEO: 8,000 kg
GTO: 3,800 kg
Liftoff Thrust
5,923 Kilonewtons
Fairing
Diameter: 4.2m
Height: 9.78m
Stages
3
Strap-ons
2
42nd
Mission
1st
Mission of 2009
20th
Orbital launch attempt