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BEIDOU-3S M2S
Chinese Navigation Satellite (BeiDou-3S Testbed) · CNSA / China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation
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BeiDou-3S M2S, launched in 2015, was one of China's experimental testbed satellites validating the new signal designs and inter-satellite link technology that the full global BeiDou-3 constellation would rely on. Before committing to dozens of operational global satellites, China flew this smaller precursor batch specifically to test the new hardware in real orbital conditions — a deliberate, methodical validation step before full-scale deployment.
Its orbit
- Orbit
- Medium Earth Orbita high vantage point, ideal for navigation
- Altitude
- 13,361–13,402 mi (21,502–21,568 km)
- Inclination
- 54.8°
- One orbit
- 12.9 hours1.9 orbits a day
- NORAD ID
- 40748
- Int’l designator
- 2015-037A
- Launched
- 2015
Orbital elements from CelesTrak, as of 21 Sep 2026.
More navigation
- CENTISPACE-1 GROUP 05 OBJECT AChinese LEO GNSS Augmentation Satellite (CentiSpace-1 Group 05)
- CENTISPACE-1 GROUP 05 OBJECT BChinese LEO GNSS Augmentation Satellite (CentiSpace-1 Group 05)
- CENTISPACE-1 GROUP 05 OBJECT CChinese LEO GNSS Augmentation Satellite (CentiSpace-1 Group 05)
- CENTISPACE-1 GROUP 05 OBJECT DChinese LEO GNSS Augmentation Satellite (CentiSpace-1 Group 05)
- CENTISPACE-1 GROUP 05 OBJECT EChinese LEO GNSS Augmentation Satellite (CentiSpace-1 Group 05)
- CENTISPACE-1 GROUP 05 OBJECT FChinese LEO GNSS Augmentation Satellite (CentiSpace-1 Group 05)