我国“一箭双星”成功发射两颗北斗三号全球组网卫星

China launched a pair of navigation satellites on Monday afternoon, moving closer to building a global network.

周一上午，中国成功发射了一对导航卫星，在往建立全球定位系统的网络路上又更近了一步。

The 28th and 29th satellites in the domestically developed Beidou Navigation Satellite System, one of the nation’s largest space programs, were lifted atop a Long March 3B carrier rocket at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center.

这两颗卫星分别是国内研发的我国最大的太空计划北斗卫星导航系统的第28、29颗卫星，它们通过长征三号火箭在西昌卫星发射中心发射上天。

They are the fifth and sixth in the third-generation of Beidou satellite. They will conduct in-orbit tests and then be connected with the previous four third-generation Beidou satellites, said a statement from the China Satellite Navigation Office.

中国卫星导航办公室发表声明说，他们是第三代北斗卫星的第五和第六颗卫星。他们将进行在轨测试，然后与前四个第三代北斗卫星相连。

In November, the first two third-generation Beidou satellites were launched at the Xichang center. In January, another two were lifted at the same center.

11月，前两颗第三代北斗卫星在西昌中心发射升空。1月份，另外两颗卫星在同一中心被发射升空。

Beidou is the world’s fourth space-based navigation system, following GPS by the United States, GLONASS by Russia and Galileo by the European Union.

北斗导航是继美国GPS，俄罗斯GLONASS和欧洲联盟伽利略后的全球第四个天基导航系统。

Since 2000, when the first Beidou satellite was placed in space, 33 satellites have been launched for the network. The Beidou system began providing positioning, navigation, timing and message services to civilian users in China and parts of the Asia-Pacific region in December 2012.

自从2000年第一颗北斗卫星进入太空以来，相继已有33颗卫星投入运行。北斗系统于2012年12月开始为中国和部分亚太地区的民用用户提供定位，导航，校时和消息传递等服务

By the end of this year, 18 third-generation Beidou satellites will have been placed into orbit and they will work with the earlier generations to cover all nations involved in the Belt and Road Initiative, the satellite office said.

该卫星办公室表示，截至今年年底，将有18个第三代北斗卫星进入轨道，他们将与前两代（北斗卫星）一起工作，覆盖参与“一带一路”倡议的所有国家。

The Belt and Road Initiative, a far-reaching development plan proposed by President Xi Jinping in 2013, refers to the Silk Road Economic Belt, which will link China with Europe through Central and Western Asia, and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, which stretches from southern China to Southeast Asia and farther to Africa. The initiative is estimated to benefit about 4.4 billion people in 65 nations, according to the government.

“一带一路”倡议是习近平主席在2013年提出的一项具有深远意义的发展计划，“一带一路”中“一带”指的是丝绸之路经济带--穿越中亚和西亚将中国与欧洲联系起来。“一路”指的是的21世纪的海上丝绸之路--从中国南部延伸到东南亚，再到非洲。政府表示，这一举措估计将惠及65个国家的44亿人。

By now, Beidou has covered nearly 30 countries involved in the initiative, including Pakistan, Egypt and Indonesia, the office noted.

官方发言称：到目前为止，北斗已经覆盖了参与“一带一路”的包括巴基斯坦、埃及和印度尼西亚在内的近30个国家。

In 2019 and 2020, China will send six third-generation Beidou satellites into medium Earth orbits, three to inclined geosynchronous satellite orbits and two to geostationary orbits.

在2019年到2020年，中国将发射六颗第三代北斗卫星进入中地球轨道，三颗发射至预定的静地轨道，两颗发射至同步地球轨道。

According to plans from the satellite office, the network will be made up of 35 satellites before the end of 2020-several now in orbit will be decommissioned by then-to give Beidou global coverage.

根据该卫星办公室的计划，北斗卫星导航系统网络将在2020年底之前由35颗卫星组成 - 目前服役的几颗在轨卫星将退役，以便为北斗系统覆盖全球。