According to the China Satellite Navigation Office:
BeiDou Navigation Satellite System is called BeiDou System for short, with the abbreviation as BDS. When fully deployed, the space constellation of BDS consists of five Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO) satellites, twenty-seven Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) satellites and three Inclined Geosynchronous Satellite Orbit (IGSO) satellites. The GEO satellites are operating in orbit at an altitude of 35,786 kilometers and positioned at 58.75°E, 80°E, 110.5°E, 140°E and 160°E respectively. The MEO satellites are operating in orbit at an altitude of 21,528 kilometers and an inclination of 55° to the equatorial plane. The IGSO satellites are operating in orbit at an altitude of 35,786 kilometers and an inclination of 55° to the equatorial plane.
By the end of 2012, there are five GEO, four MEO and five IGSO BeiDou navigation satellites in orbit.
The signal is QPSK-modulated CDMA, RHCP, with a minimum power level on the ground of -163 dBW at the output of a 0 dBi RHCP receive antenna. The 1 and 3 dB bandwidths are 4.092 and 16 MHz, respectively, centered at 1561.098 MHz.
BeiDou is also known by its English translation, Compass.