Track the BeiDou navigation constellation

azmth currently tracks 56 BeiDou satellites in CelesTrak's active catalogue, as of 14 September 2026. Data from CelesTrak, refreshed every 2 hours.

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BeiDou is China's global navigation satellite system. Unlike GPS it mixes satellites in medium Earth orbit with others in geostationary and inclined geosynchronous orbits, and they are listed in tracking catalogues as BEIDOU-2 or BEIDOU-3. azmth counts them live from CelesTrak data.

Also called 北斗卫星导航系统 (Běidǒu Wèixīng Dǎoháng Xìtǒng), 北斗 (Běidǒu), 北斗三号 (Běidǒu Sān Hào), BDS

As of 14 September 2026, BeiDou is China's global satellite navigation system, with 37 satellites in basic navigation service on the operator's official status table and no new BeiDou launch since 19 September 2024.

TL;DR· 9 min read

BeiDou (北斗) is China's global satellite navigation system, run by the China Satellite Navigation Office (CSNO). Quoting CSNO, Xinhua said on 13 March 2026 that 50 BeiDou satellites were operating in orbit. The operator's constellation status table of 14 September 2026 also lists 50, but marks 13 older BeiDou-2 satellites as retired, which leaves 37 in basic navigation service. Unlike GPS, BeiDou mixes satellites in medium Earth orbit, geostationary orbit and inclined geosynchronous orbit.

in CelesTrak's active catalogue now

as of 14 September 2026

in basic navigation service on the official CSNO-TARC constellation status table

as of 14 September 2026 · source

operating in orbit, as stated by CSNO through Xinhua

as of 13 March 2026 · source

What BeiDou is

BeiDou is China's satellite navigation system, built by the Chinese government and run by the China Satellite Navigation Office (CSNO). It broadcasts positioning, navigation and timing signals worldwide and also offers two-way short-message communication, international search and rescue, and precise point positioning. Unlike GPS, BeiDou mixes satellites in medium Earth orbit (MEO) with satellites in geostationary orbit (GEO) and inclined geosynchronous orbit (IGSO), and CSNO says its performance is better over the Asia-Pacific region.

China approved the BeiDou programme in 1994, according to Xinhua, and CSNO describes building it in three steps. BeiDou-1 began serving China at the end of 2000, and BeiDou-2 began serving the Asia-Pacific region at the end of 2012. The first two satellites of the global BeiDou-3 constellation were launched on 5 November 2017, the BeiDou-3 basic system began global service on 27 December 2018, and the launch of the 55th BeiDou satellite on 23 June 2020 completed deployment of the BeiDou-3 constellation. CSNO's design for BeiDou-3 is 3 GEO, 3 IGSO and 24 MEO satellites, able to communicate with one another so that the system can operate autonomously without support from ground stations.

Five backup satellites followed: one geostationary satellite launched on 17 May 2023, two MEO satellites on 26 December 2023 and two more on 19 September 2024. Official launch announcements give each satellite a running number. China News Service explained that the count starts with the first BeiDou-2 satellite of April 2007 and covers both generations, so the September 2024 pair were the 59th and 60th, and it called them the last two BeiDou-3 satellites. Jonathan McDowell's independent GCAT catalogue reaches the same total of 60: 20 BeiDou-2, 5 experimental BeiDou-3S and 35 BeiDou-3. The backups formally entered service on 31 March 2026, and the official status table of 14 September 2026 lists 4 GEO, 3 IGSO and 28 MEO BeiDou-3 satellites in service. No BeiDou launch after 19 September 2024 appears in CelesTrak's catalogue (checked 14 September 2026) or in GCAT (updated 10 September 2026).

How many BeiDou satellites there are depends on what is counted. CSNO said through Xinhua on 13 March 2026 that 50 satellites were operating in orbit (在轨运行), and reports of its announcement on 31 July 2026 repeated the figure. The office's test and assessment research centre, CSNO-TARC, publishes a constellation status table. On 14 September 2026 that table listed 50 satellites: 37 with a ranging code (PRN) and marked normal and healthy, and 13 BeiDou-2 satellites marked retired, still in orbit, with no retirement dates given. Operating in orbit is therefore a wider category than in service. CSNO did not list which satellites made up its 50, but the number matches the table's 50 rows (35 BeiDou-3 and 15 BeiDou-2), and when it was first given the five backup satellites had not yet formally entered service. The live count on this page (56) comes from CelesTrak's active catalogue, which also keeps satellites the operator lists as retired or does not list at all.

In March 2026 CSNO announced an in-orbit upgrade to optimise and adjust the working state of some satellites. CSNO-TARC published the PRN plan for after the upgrade on 21 March 2026, the five backup satellites entered service on 31 March 2026, and between 10 and 21 April 2026 the centre's notices reassigned the ranging code (PRN) broadcast by 17 satellites; a reallocation changes only the code a satellite broadcasts. On 31 July 2026 CSNO said the upgrade was fully complete. Some reports of the completion repeated the figure of 50 satellites operating in orbit, but none of the reports checked for this page said how many satellites were upgraded or what changed.

CSNO released a development plan to 2035 on 28 November 2024. Chief designer Yang Changfeng gave its targets as completing research on the key technologies of a next-generation system in 2025, launching three pilot test satellites around 2027, starting to launch next-generation constellation satellites around 2029 and completing the system in 2035. Deputy chief designer Xie Jun said the next generation would form a mixed constellation in high, medium and low orbits. In January 2025 Lin Baojun, chief designer of the BeiDou-3 satellite system, told CCTV that a new, more precise atomic clock on the last two BeiDou-3 satellites was in use as the master clock, and described the work as groundwork for 'BeiDou-4', an informal name. The dates in the plan are targets. The sources checked for this page include no official statement that the 2025 technology milestone was met, and no next-generation test satellite appears in McDowell's GCAT catalogue up to 10 September 2026.

How to find them on the globe

On the globe the BeiDou-3 satellites carry CelesTrak's catalogue names BEIDOU-3 M1 to M28 (medium Earth orbit), BEIDOU-3 G1 to G4 (geostationary) and BEIDOU-3 IGSO-1 to IGSO-3 (inclined geosynchronous). Older satellites appear as BEIDOU-2 followed by G, IGSO- or M and a number, and experimental satellites as BEIDOU-3S (for example BEIDOU-3S M1S). Besides the 37 satellites in official service, the catalogue on 14 September 2026 also held the 13 BeiDou-2 satellites the operator lists as retired and six that its table does not list at all: BEIDOU-2 G1 and G3, and the four BEIDOU-3S satellites. That is why the live count on this page (56) is higher than the official in-service figure.

Signals and accuracy

CSNO states that BeiDou's global positioning accuracy is better than 10 metres, its velocity accuracy better than 0.2 metres per second and its timing error under 20 nanoseconds (Xinhua, 13 March 2026). Sina Tech's report of the upgrade's completion on 31 July 2026 added a signal-in-space accuracy better than 2 metres. Through the precise point positioning signal PPP-B2b, broadcast by the four BeiDou-3 geostationary satellites, CSNO states horizontal accuracy better than 0.3 metres and vertical accuracy better than 0.6 metres. These figures are the operator's specifications. The CSNO-TARC status table of 14 September 2026 lists the navigation signals each satellite broadcasts: BeiDou-3 MEO-20, for example, carries B1I, B3I, B1C, B2a and B2b, while BeiDou-3 GEO-4 and BeiDou-2 IGSO-6 carry B1I and B3I. BeiDou-3 MEO-24 stopped broadcasting its B1 signal on 9 July 2024 'until further notice' and is still listed without it. The BeiDou-3 basic system has provided global service since 27 December 2018. In 2020 CSNO described seven service types: positioning, navigation and timing; global and regional short-message communication; international search and rescue; satellite-based and ground-based augmentation; and precise point positioning, with service availability better than 99% and better performance over the Asia-Pacific region, and said interface control documents for all seven services had been published by 3 August 2020. The satellite-based augmentation service (BDSBAS) was listed as testing on 14 September 2026.

What we know

Operator: China Satellite Navigation Office (中国卫星导航系统管理办公室, CSNO); its test and assessment research centre, CSNO-TARC, publishes the constellation status table and notices to users as of 14 September 2026 · csno-tarc.cn
In navigation service: 37: 4 BeiDou-3 GEO, 3 BeiDou-3 IGSO, 28 BeiDou-3 MEO and 2 BeiDou-2 IGSO (IGSO-6 and IGSO-7), all marked normal and healthy as of 14 September 2026 · csno-tarc.cn
Listed as retired: 13 BeiDou-2 satellites (GEO-4 to GEO-8, IGSO-1 to IGSO-5, MEO-3, MEO-4 and MEO-6), still in orbit, with no retirement dates given as of 14 September 2026 · csno-tarc.cn
Operating in orbit (CSNO): 50, as stated by CSNO through Xinhua when it announced the in-orbit upgrade as of 13 March 2026 · news.cn
BeiDou-3 design: 3 GEO, 3 IGSO and 24 MEO satellites, able to communicate with one another and operate without ground-station support as of 14 September 2026 · csno-tarc.cn
Orbits: MEO satellites at about 21,530 km, inclined about 54 to 57 degrees; GEO and IGSO satellites at about 35,790 km (derived from CelesTrak orbital elements) as of 14 September 2026 · celestrak.org
Launch numbering: 60 satellites by the running number in official launch announcements, which China News Service says starts with the first BeiDou-2 satellite of April 2007, so BeiDou-1 is not included as of 9 October 2024 · china.zjol.com.cn
Most recent launch: 19 September 2024: the 59th and 60th BeiDou satellites (MEO-25 and MEO-27), on a Long March 3B with a Yuanzheng-1 upper stage from Xichang as of 14 September 2026 · beidou.gov.cn
Accuracy specification: Global positioning better than 10 m, velocity better than 0.2 m/s, timing error under 20 ns (official statement) as of 13 March 2026 · news.cn
Next generation: Targets: three pilot test satellites around 2027, constellation launches from around 2029, system complete in 2035 (announced plan) as of 28 November 2024 · gov.cn

Timeline

1994
China approves the BeiDou programme. gov.cn
2000
BeiDou-1 is completed at the end of the year and begins serving China. csno-tarc.cn
April 2007
The first BeiDou-2 satellite is launched. Official launch numbering counts from this satellite. china.zjol.com.cn
2012
BeiDou-2 is completed at the end of the year and begins serving the Asia-Pacific region. csno-tarc.cn
5 November 2017
The first two satellites of the global BeiDou-3 constellation, BEIDOU-3 M1 and M2, are launched. celestrak.org
27 December 2018
The BeiDou-3 basic system is completed and begins global service. sw.wuhan.gov.cn
23 June 2020
The 55th BeiDou satellite is launched, completing deployment of the BeiDou-3 constellation. china.zjol.com.cn
3 August 2020
At a State Council Information Office press conference on the commissioning of BeiDou-3, CSNO sets out BeiDou-3's seven service types and its global accuracy specification. spacechina.com
17 May 2023
The 56th satellite, BeiDou-3 GEO-4, is launched as the first BeiDou-3 backup satellite, the first BeiDou-3 launch in three years. cnsa.gov.cn
26 December 2023
The 57th and 58th satellites, BeiDou-3 MEO-26 and MEO-28, are launched. csno-tarc.cn
9 July 2024
BeiDou-3 MEO-24 stops broadcasting its B1 signal until further notice, after an unplanned outage that began on 18 June 2024. csno-tarc.cn
19 September 2024
The 59th and 60th satellites, BeiDou-3 MEO-25 and MEO-27, are launched from Xichang on a Long March 3B. This is the most recent BeiDou launch as of 14 September 2026. beidou.gov.cn
28 November 2024
CSNO releases its development plan to 2035, with targets for a next-generation BeiDou system. gov.cn
13 March 2026
CSNO announces an in-orbit upgrade to adjust the working state of some satellites, and gives the number operating in orbit as 50. news.cn
21 March 2026
CSNO-TARC publishes the PRN plan that will apply after the upgrade. csno-tarc.cn
31 March 2026
The five backup satellites launched in 2023 and 2024 formally enter service. csno-tarc.cn
April 2026
Between 10 and 21 April, CSNO-TARC makes 17 PRN reallocations, ending with BeiDou-3 GEO-1 moving to PRN 04. csno-tarc.cn
31 July 2026
CSNO says the in-orbit upgrade is fully complete. stdaily.com
14 September 2026
CSNO-TARC's constellation status table lists 37 in basic navigation service and 13 retired BeiDou-2 satellites. csno-tarc.cn

Commonly got wrong

(1) The 50 and the 37 describe different things. CSNO, quoted by Xinhua on 13 March 2026 and again in reports on 31 July 2026, said 50 BeiDou satellites were operating in orbit. CSNO-TARC's own status table on 14 September 2026 also lists 50 but marks 13 BeiDou-2 satellites as retired, which leaves 37 in basic navigation service. Independent trackers do not follow the official split: CelesTrak gives its operational status code to 50 BeiDou satellites, including the 13 the operator lists as retired, and Jonathan McDowell's BeiDou statistics, updated 10 September 2026, count 57 as working, a total that takes in BeiDou-2 satellites the operator lists as retired.
(2) Official statements say the 2026 in-orbit upgrade adjusted some satellites. CSNO's announcement, carried by Xinhua on 13 March 2026, used the words 部分卫星 (some satellites), and reports of the completion on 31 July 2026 did not say how many satellites were upgraded. Summaries of English-language aggregator articles saying the upgrade covered all 50 satellites, and of a Chinese self-media post saying precise positioning improved from 1 metre to 0.3 metres, could not be matched to any official source. Xinhua gave the 0.3 metre figure on 13 March 2026, before the upgrade began.
(3) Two BeiDou-2 satellites are still in service. A vendor article republished on china.com on 28 July 2026 said the BeiDou-2 system would fully end service on 31 July 2026. No CSNO statement saying so was found, and CSNO-TARC's table of 14 September 2026 still lists BeiDou-2 IGSO-6 and IGSO-7 as normal and healthy in basic navigation service. The article may have meant the BeiDou-2 short-message service, but no official source checked for this page confirms that either.
(4) The PRN labels in CelesTrak's beidou element group are out of date. Names there carry a ranging code, such as BEIDOU-3 M25 (C47) or BEIDOU-2 G8 (C01), assigned before CSNO-TARC's reallocations of 10 to 21 April 2026. The operator now lists MEO-25 as PRN 11 and gives PRN 01 to BeiDou-3 GEO-4. The catalogue names shown on the globe carry no PRN.

Sources

Checked on 14 September 2026. Sources in Chinese were read in their own language and translated for this page; where official statements and independent tracking disagree, both are given. The live count above comes from the catalogue, not from this research.

Frequently asked

How many BeiDou satellites are there?

It depends on what is counted. CSNO-TARC's official status table listed 37 in basic navigation service on 14 September 2026, plus 13 retired BeiDou-2 satellites still in orbit. CSNO said on 13 March 2026 that 50 were operating in orbit, and reports on 31 July 2026 repeated the figure. Official launch numbering reached 60 with the launch of 19 September 2024. The live count on this page (56) comes from CelesTrak's active catalogue, which also keeps retired and experimental satellites.

How is BeiDou different from GPS?

BeiDou mixes satellites in medium Earth orbit with satellites in geostationary and inclined geosynchronous orbits, and CSNO says its performance is better over the Asia-Pacific region. Its MEO satellites orbit at about 21,530 km, compared with about 20,180 km for GPS, based on CelesTrak orbital elements. BeiDou also provides two-way short-message communication alongside positioning, navigation and timing.

Can BeiDou be used outside China?

Yes. The BeiDou-3 basic system began global service on 27 December 2018, and CSNO states global positioning accuracy better than 10 metres, with better performance over the Asia-Pacific region. BeiDou-2, the previous generation, was built to serve the Asia-Pacific region.

What was the 2026 BeiDou in-orbit upgrade?

CSNO announced on 13 March 2026 that it would adjust the working state of some satellites to improve service. Five backup satellites formally entered service on 31 March 2026, and CSNO-TARC made 17 PRN reallocations between 10 and 21 April 2026. CSNO said on 31 July 2026 that the upgrade was fully complete but did not say how many satellites were upgraded or what changed.

When will next-generation BeiDou launch?

CSNO's development plan to 2035, released on 28 November 2024, targets three pilot test satellites around 2027, the start of next-generation constellation launches around 2029 and completion in 2035. These are targets. No next-generation test satellite appears in Jonathan McDowell's GCAT catalogue up to 10 September 2026.

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