BeiDou-2 (formerly known as COMPASS) is not an extension to the older BeiDou-1, but rather supersedes it outright. The new system will be a constellation of 35 satellites, which include 5 geostationary orbit satellites for backward compatibility with BeiDou-1, and 30 non-geostationary satellites (27 in medium Earth orbit and 3 in inclined geosynchronous orbit), that will offer complete coverage of the globe.
What is the purpose of the geostationary orbit satellites in the BeiDou-2 system?
for backward compatibility with BeiDou-1
The new system will be a constellation of 35 satellites, which include 5 geostationary orbit satellites for backward compatibility with BeiDou-1, and 30 non-geostationary satellites (27 in medium Earth orbit and 3 in inclined geosynchronous orbit), that will offer complete coverage of the globe.
The new system will be a constellation of thirty-five satellites, which include five geostationary orbit satellites for backward compatibility with BeiDou-one, and thirty non-geostationary satellites (twenty-seven in medium Earth orbit and three in inclined geosynchronous orbit), that will offer complete coverage of the globe.
What is the purpose of the geostationary orbit satellites in the BeiDou-two system?