On July 26, 2011 at 21:44 UTC (on July 27 by Beijing Time), the "Chang Zheng-3A (Long March-3A)” rocket-carrier was launched from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest Sichuan Province, China. The rocket orbited the " Beidou 2-09" navigation and positioning satellite.
It was the ninth operational Beidou satellite launched since 2007. The Beidou satellite network will eventually consist of 35 spacecraft in orbit providing global navigation and positioning coverage by 2020.
