China Begins Work on its SATNAV Test Network

China to build a test & certification network for its Beidou satellite navigation system over the next three years.

An authoritative testing and certification system with uniform standards and legal support will secure the Beidou system's safe operation and accelerate its industrialization, said a statement from the government's Certification and Accreditation Administration.

By 2015, a national testing center will be set up in Beijing, while another seven local sub-centers will be established across the nation, it said. The centers will test the safety and accuracy of products designed for use with the system and qualify them for civilian use.

China began to construct the Beidou system in 2000 with a goal of breaking its dependence on GPS by 2020. Authorities plan to launch a total of 30 satellites to complete the system. The 12th and 13th satellites will be launched at the end of April.

The Beidou system has been used by 120,000 civilian and military users to date, according to the statement.