BeiDou Satellite System

Author: CislunarSpace

Website: https://cislunarspace.cn

Definition

The BeiDou Satellite System (BDS) is China's independently built and operated global satellite navigation system. The BeiDou-3 global navigation satellite system was officially commissioned on July 31, 2020, consisting of 3 GEO + 3 IGSO + 24 MEO satellites (30 total), forming a heterogeneous constellation developed through China's independent, compatible, and phased approach.

System Capabilities

BeiDou-3 provides the following core capabilities:

  • Global L-band short message communication: Supports global short message information services at approximately 400 bit/s
  • Ka phased-array agile microwave inter-satellite links: Achieves inter-satellite measurement and communication through beam scanning and agile control
  • Laser inter-satellite links: Offers advantages of light weight, small size, low power consumption, and strong data transmission capability
  • Onboard routing protocols: Connects the constellation into an integrated whole through routing protocols

Extended Applications in Cislunar Communication

Currently, BeiDou satellites primarily serve land, sea, air, and space users in near-Earth space. To address future demands for all-time seamless communication among multiple cislunar spacecraft, researchers have proposed a cislunar communication architecture based on the BeiDou satellite system:

  • Install laser antennas and microwave multi-beam phased-array antennas on the Earth-facing side of future BeiDou satellites to serve near-Earth users
  • Install similar payloads on the space-facing side to serve deep-space spacecraft
  • Extend short message functionality to achieve dynamic online coverage of catalogued cislunar users
  • Leverage the constellation's collective advantage through the cumulative effect of multiple satellites, antennas, and beams for all-time seamless communication

References

  • Duan Z, Wang J, Fan Y. Research on the Development of Beidou Satellites Based on Full-Time Communication and Navigation in the Earth-Moon Space[J]. Journal of Telemetry, Tracking and Command, 2026.
  • Chen Z, Wu X. General design of the third generation BeiDou navigation satellite system[J]. Journal of Nanjing University of Aeronautics & Astronautics, 2020, 52(6): 835-845.