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China launched twin Beidou-3 satellites successfully at 02:07am on Monday, enabling the domestically developed satellite system to expand its coverage to countries involved in the Belt and Road initiative by year's end.
本周一凌晨两点零七分，我国成功发射了两颗北斗3号卫星，预示着中国自主研发的卫星系统可以在年底前将其覆盖范围扩大到"一带一路"沿线国家。
The satellites were sent on a Long March-3B carrier rocket in Southwest China's Xichang Satellite Launch Center and are the 42th and 43th of the Beidou Navigation Satellite System.
这些卫星是北斗导航卫星系统的第42和43颗卫星，由长征三号乙运载火箭装载，在中国西南部的西昌卫星发射中心发射。
"The two satellites are also the 18th and 19th of the Beidou-3 series," said Yang Changfeng, chief designer of the Beidou satellite system. "They run about 36,000 km above the Earth."
北斗卫星系统的首席设计师杨长风称：“这两颗卫星也是北斗3号系列的第18和第19颗卫星，它们会在地球上空约36000公里处运行。”
"Working with 17 other Beidou-3 satellites already in orbit, the basic satellite constellation of Beidou-3 will finish its establishment by year's end," he said.
他表示：“它们与其他已经在轨道上运行的17颗北斗三号卫星一起运行，北斗三号的基本系统星座部署将在年底前完成建设。”
"By then, the network will provide basic navigation service for countries or regions participating in the Belt and Road initiative."
“到那时，该网络将为参与“一带一路”倡议的国家或地区提供基本导航服务。”
The Beidou network, mainly constructed by China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp, is one of the four space-based navigation networks along with the United States' GPS, Russia's GLONASS and European Union's Galileo.
北斗系统主要由中国航天科技公司建设，与美国GPS、俄罗斯全球导航卫星系统和欧盟伽利略并称四大航天导航网络。
Since 2000, when the first Beidou satellite was placed in the space, a total of 47 satellites, including four experiment satellites, have been launched for the system and several of them have been retired.
自2000年第一颗北斗卫星进入太空以来，前后共有47颗卫星发射升空，其中包括4颗试验卫星，还有几颗卫星已经退役。
Beidou began providing positioning, navigation, timing and message services to civilian users in China and parts of the Asia-Pacific region in December 2012. According to government plans, the network will have global coverage before the end of 2020.
2012年12月，北斗卫星系统开始向中国及亚太部分地区的民用用户提供定位、导航、授时和信息服务。根据政府计划，该网络将于2020年底之前覆盖全球。
