The next generation of satellites for the Beidou Navigation Satellite System will represent a major upgrade over the current models, with stronger links between satellites, more autonomous timekeeping and greater resistance to signal interference, a senior scientist said.

　　Yang Yuanxi, deputy chief designer of the Beidou system and an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, made the remarks at the 5th International Summit on Beidou System Applications, which opened on Tuesday in Zhuzhou, Hunan province.

　　The next-generation system will expand Beidou's capabilities from the current regional transmission of data to global services for positioning, precision enhancement and information delivery, Yang said.

　　Unlike current Beidou satellites, whose data relay capabilities are largely limited to regional coverage, the new satellites will be connected through laser and Ka-band links, allowing them to exchange information directly with one another across the globe.

　　The satellites will also carry a wider range of highly precise clocks, including cold atomic clocks, mercury atomic clocks, integrating sphere clocks and active hydrogen masers, in addition to the rubidium atomic clocks used on existing satellites.

　　"This full set of timekeeping devices will enable fully autonomous space-based time service, eliminating the need for continuous ground station support," Yang said.

　　For navigation signals, the new satellites will use L-, Ka- and S-band frequencies in a more flexible design, significantly improving their ability to withstand interference and maintain reliable signals, Yang said.

　　The system's operation and control will also become more intelligent and resilient, moving beyond the current fixed-and-mobile model to a framework that is more flexible and capable of continuing to function under disruptions, he said.