China successfully launches 2 navigation satellites

China successfully launched two satellites into space Monday, the 12th and 13th satellites for its Beidou global navigation and positioning network, China’s News Agency (Xinhua) reported. The Beidou-2 satellites, launched from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in the southwestern province of Sichuan, was boosted by a Long March-3B carrier rocket and has entered the scheduled orbit, the launch center said. It is the first time China has launched two navigation satellites with one rocket, and the two satellites will help to improve the accuracy of the Beidou, or Compass system. China will launch three more satellites for the Beidou network this year and a global satellite positioning and navigation system will be completed in 2020 with more than 30 orbiters.