China sets aside astronomical amount of money for GNSS

China launched its 11th Beidou satellite Saturday at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, as part of plans to implement its Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), Chinese media reported.

Beijing began work to create the GNSS on its own. The United States has operated its Global Positioning System (GPS).

China launched the Beidou satellite project in 2000. Based on it, China has conducted a pilot GNSS project in parts of Asia since December last year.

Beijing plans to expand the GNSS project to the entire Asia-Pacific region this year, the report said. In addition, it will make the GNSS cover the entire globe by 2020, by launching about 30 more satellites.

Experts say at least 24 satellites are needed to create a global positioning system.

Currently, most countries in the world, including South Korea, use the GPS operated by the United States.

Analysts say China has conducted the GNSS project, which costs an astronomical amount of money, both for commercial and military purposes.

A Chinese publishing company said the GNSS market in China will grow to 222.5 billion yuan by 2015.

China concluded that it cannot depend on the U.S. GPS as such a system is used in state-of-the-art, guided weapons as well as for military planes and warships according to experts.