BEIJING, Aug. 25 (CGTN) -- China sent twin BeiDou-3 navigation satellites into space on a Long March-3B carrier rocket from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, in the southwest China’s Sichuan Province, at 7:52 a.m. BJT Saturday.

The twin satellites are the 35th and 36th of the BeiDou navigation system.

A basic system with 18 BeiDou-3 satellites orbiting Earth will be in place by year-end, which will serve countries participating in the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative.