Navigation
BEIDOU-3 M4
Chinese Navigation Satellite (BeiDou-3) · CNSA / China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation
Right now
LiveIt moves every second. See exactly where it is — worked out from its orbit, on your own device — on the live 3D globe.
- Over
- —
- Altitude
- —
- Speed
- —
BeiDou-3 M4, launched in 2018, is part of the historically fast BeiDou-3 rollout that brought China's satellite navigation program from regional coverage to full global independence in under three years from the constellation's first 2017 launch — a pace of deployment reflecting the strategic priority China's leadership placed on the entire program. China's willingness to fund a launch pace this aggressive — far faster than GPS, GLONASS, or Galileo ever sustained during their own build-outs — reflected the strategic priority Beijing placed on reaching full independence from foreign satellite navigation as quickly as possible.
Its orbit
- Orbit
- Medium Earth Orbita high vantage point, ideal for navigation
- Altitude
- 13,372–13,391 mi (21,520–21,551 km)
- Inclination
- 56.7°
- One orbit
- 12.9 hours1.9 orbits a day
- NORAD ID
- 43207
- Int’l designator
- 2018-018A
- Launched
- 2018
Orbital elements from CelesTrak, as of 22 Sep 2026.
More navigation
- BEIDOU-3 M5Chinese Navigation Satellite (BeiDou-3)
- BEIDOU-3 M6Chinese Navigation Satellite (BeiDou-3)
- BEIDOU-3 M7Chinese Navigation Satellite (BeiDou-3)
- BEIDOU-3 M8Chinese Navigation Satellite (BeiDou-3)
- BEIDOU-3 M9Chinese Navigation Satellite (BeiDou-3)
- BEIDOU-3S M1SChinese Navigation Satellite (BeiDou-3S Testbed)