China sent two satellites of the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS) into space from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Sichuan Province at 5:10 am Monday.

Launched on a Long March-3B carrier rocket, the twin satellites are the 47th and 48th satellite of the BDS satellite family.

(Photo: Provided to the People's Daily)

The new satellites and the carrier 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 Corporation.

After in-orbit tests, the new satellites will work with those BDS satellites already in orbit to improve positioning accuracy of the system.

China will complete the BDS global network by 2020.

Monday's launch was the 312th mission for the Long March series carrier rockets. 

(With input from Xinhua)