BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS-3)

Navigation satellite constellationIn serviceFielded 2020Pending verification

Also known as: BDS, Compass

SpaceCHN

Identification silhouette. Not drawn to scale between entries.

Fact cardConfidence · Source

System

TypeNavigation satellite constellation

Alternative designationsBDS, Compass

Date of introduction2020

ProliferationOrigin country only

Satellites3024 MEO, 3 IGSO, 3 GEOHigh^[1]

Dimensions and weight

Mass850 kg1,874 lbMEO; GEO/IGSO 828 kgMed^[1]

Orbit

Orbit regimeMEO, IGSO and GEOHigh^[1]

Orbit altitude21,528 km13,377 miMEO; GEO and IGSO at 35,786 kmHigh^[1]

Orbital planes3MEOMed^[1]

Inclination55 °MEO and IGSOHigh^[1]

Design life10–15 yearsMEO about 10 years; GEO/IGSO about 15Med^[1]

Catalogued on orbit54Payloads with current element sets in the public catalog, active or not.High^[2]

Active (CelesTrak)54Count in the CelesTrak active satellites list, which estimates operational status.Med^[2]

Perigee21,462–35,776 kmActive satellites per CelesTrak, element epoch about 2026-11-08.High^[2]

Apogee21,532–36,470 kmActive satellites per CelesTrak, element epoch about 2026-11-08.High^[2]

Orbital period773.1–1,436.4 minActive satellites per CelesTrak, element epoch about 2026-11-08.High^[2]

Catalogued satellites · 54^[2]

Name	NORAD	COSPAR	Perigee km	Apogee km	Incl. °	Period min	Status
BEIDOU-2 IGSO-1	36828	2010-036A	35,551	36,021	54.31	1436.1	Active
BEIDOU-2 G4	37210	2010-057A	35,744	35,829	4	1436.1	Active
BEIDOU-2 IGSO-2	37256	2010-068A	35,533	36,029	47.3	1435.8	Active
BEIDOU-2 IGSO-3	37384	2011-013A	35,636	35,933	62.61	1436	Active
BEIDOU-2 IGSO-4	37763	2011-038A	35,111	36,470	54.6	1436.3	Active
BEIDOU-2 IGSO-5	37948	2011-073A	35,304	36,273	47.42	1436.2	Active
BEIDOU-2 G5	38091	2012-008A	35,744	35,828	3.93	1436.1	Active
BEIDOU-2 M3	38250	2012-018A	21,462	21,595	55.63	773.2	Active
BEIDOU-2 M4	38251	2012-018B	21,486	21,570	55.53	773.2	Active
BEIDOU-2 M6	38775	2012-050B	21,499	21,557	56.67	773.2	Active
BEIDOU-2 G6	38953	2012-059A	35,757	35,816	4.78	1436.1	Active
BEIDOU-3S IGSO-1S	40549	2015-019A	35,626	35,945	48.92	1436	Active
BEIDOU-3S M2S	40748	2015-037A	21,494	21,562	54.74	773.2	Active
BEIDOU-3S M1S	40749	2015-037B	21,519	21,533	54.74	773.1	Active
BEIDOU-3S IGSO-2S	40938	2015-053A	35,514	36,059	49.01	1436.1	Active
BEIDOU-2 IGSO-6	41434	2016-021A	35,516	36,057	60.43	1436.1	Active
BEIDOU-2 G7	41586	2016-037A	35,766	35,809	2.08	1436.1	Active
BEIDOU-3 M1	43001	2017-069A	21,506	21,550	56.82	773.2	Active
BEIDOU-3 M2	43002	2017-069B	21,513	21,543	56.82	773.2	Active
BEIDOU-3 M7	43107	2018-003A	21,521	21,536	54.2	773.2	Active
BEIDOU-3 M8	43108	2018-003B	21,515	21,541	54.19	773.2	Active
BEIDOU-3 M4	43207	2018-018A	21,516	21,540	56.78	773.2	Active
BEIDOU-3 M3	43208	2018-018B	21,513	21,543	56.78	773.2	Active
BEIDOU-3 M9	43245	2018-029A	21,524	21,533	54.06	773.2	Active
BEIDOU-3 M10	43246	2018-029B	21,519	21,538	54.06	773.2	Active
BEIDOU-2 IGSO-7	43539	2018-057A	35,335	36,245	55.21	1436.3	Active
BEIDOU-3 M5	43581	2018-062A	21,521	21,536	54.08	773.2	Active
BEIDOU-3 M6	43582	2018-062B	21,506	21,550	54.08	773.2	Active
BEIDOU-3 M12	43602	2018-067A	21,501	21,555	54.18	773.2	Active
BEIDOU-3 M11	43603	2018-067B	21,512	21,545	54.17	773.2	Active
BEIDOU-3 M13	43622	2018-072A	21,515	21,541	56.75	773.2	Active
BEIDOU-3 M14	43623	2018-072B	21,521	21,535	56.76	773.2	Active
BEIDOU-3 M16	43647	2018-078A	21,509	21,547	53.96	773.2	Active
BEIDOU-3 M15	43648	2018-078B	21,519	21,538	53.96	773.2	Active
BEIDOU-3 G1	43683	2018-085A	35,769	35,803	2.76	1436.1	Active
BEIDOU-3 M17	43706	2018-093A	21,510	21,547	54.16	773.2	Active
BEIDOU-3 M18	43707	2018-093B	21,509	21,548	54.16	773.3	Active
BEIDOU-3 IGSO-1	44204	2019-023A	35,654	35,903	58.89	1435.7	Active
BEIDOU-2 G8	44231	2019-027A	35,746	35,826	2.02	1436.1	Active
BEIDOU-3 IGSO-2	44337	2019-035A	35,629	35,953	55.25	1436.3	Active
BEIDOU-3 M24	44542	2019-061A	21,499	21,557	54.39	773.2	Active
BEIDOU-3 M23	44543	2019-061B	21,510	21,546	54.39	773.2	Active
BEIDOU-3 IGSO-3	44709	2019-073A	35,599	35,987	54.58	1436.4	Active
BEIDOU-3 M22	44793	2019-078A	21,513	21,544	53.8	773.2	Active
BEIDOU-3 M21	44794	2019-078B	21,519	21,538	53.78	773.2	Active
BEIDOU-3 M19	44864	2019-090A	21,480	21,576	56.69	773.2	Active
BEIDOU-3 M20	44865	2019-090B	21,489	21,567	56.69	773.2	Active
BEIDOU-3 G2	45344	2020-017A	35,776	35,797	2.7	1436.1	Active
BEIDOU-3 G3	45807	2020-040A	35,766	35,806	2.8	1436.1	Active
BEIDOU-3 G4	56564	2023-066A	35,765	35,809	0.47	1436.1	Active
BEIDOU-3 M28	58654	2023-207A	21,524	21,532	55.88	773.2	Active
BEIDOU-3 M26	58655	2023-207B	21,520	21,536	55.89	773.2	Active
BEIDOU-3 M25	61186	2024-168B	21,514	21,542	54.34	773.2	Active
BEIDOU-3 M27	61187	2024-168C	21,523	21,533	54.34	773.2	Active

Mean elements at epoch 2026-11-04 or later. Perigee and apogee are computed from mean motion and eccentricity and are approximate. Status follows the CelesTrak active list.

Summary

China's global navigation system, completed in 2020 with a hybrid GEO, IGSO and MEO constellation.

Draft entry. Values come from the cited public sources and are awaiting editor verification.

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Operators

China

Sources

BeiDou (GNSS guide), Information and Analysis Center for PNT (Roscosmos)
Tier 2 · checked 2026-11-08
NORAD GP element sets (current data), CelesTrak (data from the U.S. Space Force 18th/19th Space Defense Squadron catalog)
Published/updated 2026-11-08 · Tier 1 · checked 2026-11-08

Change log

2026-11-08 Entry created from cited open sources
2026-11-08 Orbital elements from CelesTrak GP data (epoch about 2026-11-08): 54 catalogued, 54 active.