Arrange the following global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) in chronological order of their launch (from first to last):

A. Galileo
B. GLONASS
C. BeiDou
D. GPS

Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

Correct option is C

The chronological order of Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) based on their operational launch is:

1. GPS (D) – 1978 (Fully Operational in 1993) → First
2. GLONASS (B) – 1982 (Fully Operational in 1995) → Second
3. BeiDou (C) – 2000 (Fully Operational in 2020) → Third
4. Galileo (A) – 2016 (Fully Operational in 2021) → Last

Thus, the correct sequence is: D (GPS) → B (GLONASS) → C (BeiDou) → A (Galileo)

1. GPS (D) – First Launched in 1978, Fully Operational in 1993

• Developed by the United States.
• First GNSS to become fully operational.
• Used widely for military and civilian applications.

2. GLONASS (B) – First Launched in 1982, Fully Operational in 1995

• Developed by the Soviet Union (Russia).
• Alternative to GPS, used for Russian military and commercial navigation.

3. BeiDou (C) – First Launched in 2000, Fully Operational in 2020

• Developed by China.
• Consists of three generations: BeiDou-1, BeiDou-2, and BeiDou-3.
• Provides global navigation since 2020.

4. Galileo (A) – First Launched in 2016, Fully Operational in 2021

• Developed by the European Union.
• Offers high-precision civilian navigation.
• Designed to be independent of GPS and GLONASS.