Russia Glonass launches navigation satellites
Russia has launched three satellites Monday, expanding its global navigation satellite system, Glonass. The three 3000-pound satellites were sent into orbit using a Proton rocket, according to a Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) spokesperson, quoted by Russian news agency RIA-Novosti.
Glonass, which is a Russian version of the Global Positioning System (GPS) of the U.S., is intended for both military and civilian purposes. The system can also be used in geological prospecting.
At present, Glonass has 11 operational spacecraft. The three will be added to this. Roscosmos plans to have 18 satellites in orbit by late 2007 or early 2008. The full compliment of 24 satellites will be reached by 2009, Perminov said.
[via earthtimes.org]
