air to ground precision weapon

sumdud said:

Why not? All you pretty much need to do is modify the software.
Beidou is in operation? I thought it wasn't in full commision yet.
Galileo isn't up either.
China shouls know better than to use GPS.

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The Beidou navigation system is a project by the People's Republic of China to develop an independent satellite navigation system. "Beidou" is the Chinese name of the Ursa Major constellation.

Beidou 1A was launched on 30 October 2000 and Beidou 1B followed on 20 December 2000. China plans to complete the system with a second pair, and Beidou 2A was put into orbit on 24 May 2003.

Unlike the GPS, GLONASS, and Galileo systems, which offer global positioning, Beidou uses satellites in geostationary orbit. This means that the system does not require a large constellation of satellites, but it also limits the coverage to areas on Earth where the satellites are visible.

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Here's some info on US Navstar:
"In 1973, the Department of Defense was looking for a foolproof method of satellite navigation. The solution was the Global Positioning System, the essential components of which are the 24 Navstar satellites built by Rockwell International, each weighing some 1,900 lb. Each satellite orbits the earth every 12 hours in a formation that ensures that every point on the planet will always be in radio contact with at least four satellites. The first operational GPS satellite was launched in 1978, and the system reached full 24-satellite capability in 1993."

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According to the US Government, the Beidou GPS system only needs 2 to work, the other 2 are back-up units:


"Although China has not yet established an operational satellite navigation and positioning network, research for such a system has been underway for many years, and a future space-based navigation capability is an acknowledged goal. Beidou ('Big Dipper') is the satellite component for the independent Chinese satellite navigation and positioning system. The Beidou satellite navigation and positioning system are consists of two satellites in geosynchronous orbit. The final Beidou constellation will include four satellites, two operational and two backups. Together with the ground stations, the Beidou system will provide navigation and positioning signals covering the East Asia region. However, to provide global signal coverage, satellites flying in other orbits around the world must complement the system. Three satellites have been launched to date."

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From the above information, we can conclude that the Beidou system is:
1) Geostationary (does not orbit)
2) Only require 2 in space to work, but seem to be following US model of 4 satellites overhead
3) Does not qualify as a "global network"
4) But will provide GPS data in East-Asia region

hmmm...i was under the impression gps only used three sattelits to pinpoint a certain location

only requires 3, but the point is that in most areas of earth, you can only see 4 of these satellites, that's why you need 24 satellites over all. The 4th satellite is for redundency. Theoretically speaking, you cannot see double digit number of satellites.

Thanks for the article tphuang. Very interesting indeed. I agree with some that it will probably be fitted to work with Su-30 MKK due to the aircrafts durability. The Su-30 MKK is very impressive in many ways. And I'm sure the PLAAF is trying to find the right mix in weapons for the roles it will be playing.

From the above information, we can conclude that the Beidou system is:
1) Geostationary (does not orbit)
2) Only require 2 in space to work, but seem to be following US model of 4 satellites overhead
3) Does not qualify as a "global network"
4) But will provide GPS data in East-Asia region

Click to expand...

I am still baffled by the fact that it locates with 2 satelites and being geostationery.
Isn't the other systems geostationery?
And how can you locate with 2 satelliets is still beyond me. You still have 2 spots of location with such systems.

sumdud said:

I am still baffled by the fact that it locates with 2 satelites and being geostationery.
Isn't the other systems geostationery?
And how can you locate with 2 satelliets is still beyond me. You still have 2 spots of location with such systems.

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none of us here are experts in space science and sattelite operation. china had been reserching geo staionary orbuit sinvce the 70s. ask a chinese sattelite engineer.

adeptitus said:

On US military GPS satellites they carry 4 atomic clocks to ensure accuracy. I donno how good civilian GPS satellites are, but we can assume that it can be used to guide bombs and missiles by providing GPS data.

Click to expand...

military GPS and civilian GPS come from the same satellites, same system. There is not a system of civilian satellites and another system of military satellites.

I am still baffled by the fact that it locates with 2 satelites and being geostationery.
Isn't the other systems geostationery?
And how can you locate with 2 satelliets is still beyond me. You still have 2 spots of location with such systems.

Click to expand...

the source mentioned 2 satellites plus ground stations. with enough ground stations spread around they could still triangulate.

Russia, China space rockets equipped with GLONASS

03.11.2005, 15.19





MOSCOW, November 3 (Itar-Tass) - Russian and Chinese military and civil rockets and spacecraft have begun to be equipped with devices of the global navigation satellite system (GLONASS).

“Equipping carrier rockets, propulsion units and spacecraft will allow substantially increasing the effectiveness of spacecraft control at all segments of the flight and decreasing the spending on the ground complex,†an official of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roskosmos) told Itar-Tass on Thursday.

GLONASS equipment of new spacecraft is part of civil and military space exploration, he said.

The Russian government has approved a federal space program for 2006-2015, in which special attention is given to the GLONASS system.

Russia’s satellite navigation system that now includes 14 craft is to be increased to 18 by 2007.

New-generation satellites Glonass-M and Glonass-K with the operation life of 7 and 10 years will be added to the orbital grouping within three years.

“The use of such satellites will allow providing navigation information to an unlimited number of users at any point of the earth and increasing the precision of determining coordinates of an object to one metres, the Roskosmos official said.

Defence Minister Sergei Ivanov earlier said that about 10 percent of Russia’s military budget for 2006 was slated for space.

“A priority will given to completing the deployment of the global positioning system,†he said.

Russian Space Troops plan launching three new satellites of the GLONASS system on December 28.

According to the federal program Global Navigation System, 24 satellites are to be deployed in orbit by 2010.