STUDY OF INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY IN CHINA POLICY BRIEF 2014-7 January 2014 The Research, Development, and Acquisition Process for the Beidou Navigation Satellite Programs Kevin POLLPETER, Patrick BESHA, and Alanna KROLIKOWSKI he Beidou navigation satellite system is regarded as a strategic system Tintended to diminish Chinese reliance on the U.S. Global Positioning System resistance was based on objections over the need to build a system when China (GPS). Support for Beidou, however, has not always been firm or universal. Early also impeded progress on Beidou due to poor economic conditions and resource was already benefiting from the free service provided by GPS. Financial hurdles program. Improved economic performance and a concomitant increase in constraints resulting from priority being given to the human spaceflight funding and the widespread belief among the leadership that China must wean itself from foreign dependence, however, removed these impediments. Today, Beidou is regarded as a strategically important dual-use technology conduct modern war but is also recognized as supporting the development program that is first and foremost intended to enable the Chinese military to of a new commercial industry vital to China’s national infrastructure. The Study of Innovation and Technology in China (SITC) is a project of the University of California Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation. SITC Research Briefs provide analysis and recommendations based on the work of project participants. Author’s views are their own. 1 Of China’s major defense technology the same SMS function that Beidou 1 projects, the Beidou satellite naviga- provides and, like other communica- “Spacecraft Development Phasing and tion programs may have the most tion satellites, are placed in that orbit Procedure”out in official (航天产品项目阶段划分 documentation called far-reaching military, civil, and com- to provide the best global coverage. 和策划). These procedures are based mercial implications. China’s leaders on the procedures of other space R&D not only recognize the importance to reduce the “urban canyon” effect, organizations, and, in fact, are very of satellite navigation to the needs wherebyThe five IGSOsatellite satellites signals are are intended degrad- close to NASA’s R&D process, but have of a modern military and competi- ed or lost in dense urban areas. Today, tive economy, but also realize that Beidou 2 provides free-of-charge lo- the characteristics of China’s space China must develop its own satellite cation, velocity, and timing services, program.been modified to take into account navigation system in order to reduce with positioning accuracies of up to CASC divides its satellite RDA pro- its dependence on the U.S. GPS sys- 10 meters. cess into seven stages (see Figure 1): tem. As a result, Beidou is intended The rationales and support for to provide the Chinese military with the Beidou programs have evolved as 1. During the mission requirement 任务需求分析阶 an independent, Chinese-operated China’s economic circumstances have analysis stage ( 段 system that enables precision-guided changed. In the 1980s and 1990s, ) the client and the contractor strikes, operations in distant theaters, analyze mission requirements and and the integration of platforms and joined to advocate building a simple proposing initial requirements. forces in the conduct of networked satelliteelite scientists navigation and system military that officers could 2. During the feasibility stage information warfare. Beidou will also provide a regional service to meet (可行性论证阶段) the contrac- provide an independent system for national defense needs. The program use by China’s public infrastructure, was hindered by resource constraints requirements, perform a prelimi- utilities, and information and com- and slowed by leaders who did not narytor and analysis the client of the finalize technological mission munications systems. Finally, Chinese see a need to commit resources to parameters, propose feasibility policymakers expect Beidou to nur- build a system that would replace the plans, and complete a feasibility ture domestic receiver and applica- free GPS service. report. tions industries, offering consumers By the 2000s, circumstances had 3. During the planning and design and industrial users alternatives to changed. Chinese leaders saw the stage (方案设计阶段) the con- GPS-supported products. logic of ending China’s reliance on tractor selects a feasibility plan, GPS and had begun to see the com- tests the plan, and completes a mercial potential of satellite naviga- 1 THE BEIDOU PROGRAMS preliminary design review (PDR). tion technologies. Importantly, the 4. During the prototype research China has two satellite navigation government now had the means to and manufacturing stage (初样 and positioning system programs: fund large technology development 研制阶段) the contractor obtains Beidou 1 and Beidou 2 (also known programs. The rationale for building data through the design, analysis, as COMPASS). Beidou 1 was made op- a more capable, global second-gener- and testing of technologies to en- erational in 2003 and uses an active ation system now lay not only in mili- sure that the plan meets require- system comprised of two satellites tary needs, but also in its potential to ments and to verify that the tech- in geostationary orbit, at least one drive national innovation by fostering nologies are feasible. Completion ground station, and customer receiv- new industries and strengthening na- of this stage indicates that a criti- er/transmitters. Beidou 1 achieves tional infrastructure. These new moti- cal design review (CDR) has been accuracies of 20 meters and supports vations are introducing new forms of completed.2 a short message service (SMS) in collaboration based on civil-military which users can send messages up to integration, feasibility assessments 120 characters long. based on commercial opportunities, 1. A preliminary design (初步设计评审) Beidou 2 will replace Beidou 1, and funding to foster industrial and review is conducted when system require- but unlike Beidou 1, it will use a pas- technological development. ments have been approved, critical tech- sive system similar to GPS. By the nology requirements have been issued, a plan has been selected, and a research and time it is completed in 2020, Beidou SPACE INDUSTRY manufacturing plan has been determined. 2. A critical design review (关键设计评 RDA PROCESS 审) is conducted when detailed design ac- 2 will have 35 satellites, consisting of- The RDA process used by the tivities have been completed, design data clined25 in medium geosynchronous earth orbit orbit (MEO), (IGSO). 5 in China Aerospace and Technology documents have already been completed geostationary orbit (GEO), and 5 in in Corporation (CASC) for satellites is set been formulated. and qualification test plans have already The five GEO satellites will provide 2 MISSION PLANNING AND PROTOTYPE FINAL LAUNCH AND ORBITAL FEASIBILITY REQUIREMENT DESIGN RESEARCH AND RESEARCH AND ORBITAL MANAGEMENT ANALYSIS MANUFACTURING MANUFACTURING TESTING Figure 1. The seven stages of the satellite RDA process During the final research and cant example appears to be the adop- manufacturing stage (正样研制 factor was funding. Limited budgets tion or adaptation of foreign atomic 5. 阶段) the contractor completes a meantadvancement. that the BeidouThe most program influential could clock technology. Although there is design based on the preliminary only obtain formal approval to ad- no evidence that Chinese instrument research and manufacturing stage vance to its prototyping stage only af- manufacturers have tried to reverse and begins manufacturing the sat- ter resources were diverted from oth- engineer the Swiss technology, such a ellite, testing the assembly and possibility cannot be ruled out. electronics, and environmental both the nation’s economic situation Technology transfer may also as- testing. Completion of this phase ater theprograms. time and Tight leaders’ budgets prioritization reflected sist the commercialization of Beidou. indicates that the satellite has In 2013 a leading developer of Bei- - Limits on funds also impaired efforts dou receivers, UniStrong, purchased sign approval. toof attractthe human capable spaceflight personnel. program. the American high-precision tech- gone through final factory and de During the launch and orbital Since then, as China’s economy nology business Hemisphere GPS. testing stage (发射和在轨测试 has grown, the resource constraint The transaction included all satellite 6. 阶段) the satellite is transferred has softened. Chinese government navigation product lines and associ- to the launch site and the launch spending of approximately $US 8 bil- ated intellectual property, strength- - ening UniStrong’s marine survey, of the satellite. The satellite is then lite global system is similar to what construction, mapping, and original launched.team conducts a final inspection otherlion to countries upgrade areBeidou spending to a 35-satel on simi- equipment manufacturing technolo- gies and capacities. 7. During the orbital management it suggests that China’s reputed cost stage (在轨运行管理阶段) the advantageslar systems. inIf thisspace figure activities, is accurate, such satellite is operated in orbit. as launch vehicle manufacture, do not TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCES exist in the area of satellite navigation. requirement analysis stage and the During the early stages of the pro- advances in four technology areas feasibilityThe first stage, two makestages, up the the mission “proj-