On May 27, an eight-member Chinese team has successfully reached the top of Mount Everest. It is the first time that the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System has been available to determine the mountain's current height.

The accurate measurement of Everest’s height will help in the analysis of elevation changes in the Himalayas and the Tibetan Plateau. China has measured the peak in 2005, putting it at 8,844.43 meters above sea-level. In 2005, measurements by global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) mainly relied on the US’ Global Positioning System. At this time, the team mainly relies on BeiDou, China’s own GNSS.

The build-up of the global BDS constellation (BDS-3) was initiated on November 5, 2017. Since then, a total of 29 BDS-3 satellites have been launched. The last BDS-3 satellite is scheduled for launch in June.