The government of China sent a Compass-M1 navigation satellite into space April 14 aboard a March-3A rocket according to the state-run People’s Daily.

Orbiting at 21,500 kilometers, the satellite is intended as part of China’s Compass navigational system, planned to be operational in 2008. China will orbit additional Compass series satellites to meet its own and others’ navigation needs by 2008, gradually building a global system through network construction and experimentation. The system will chiefly serve the national economy by providing efficient positioning services for transportation, meteorology, petroleum prospecting, forest fire monitoring, disaster forecasting, telecommunications and public security, among others.

The satellite and rocket were developed by the China Academy of Space Technology and the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology under the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp. The launch represents the 97th flight of China’s Long March series of rockets.