GLONASS-M Successfully Placed into Orbit

GLONASS-M (built by Reshetnev Information Satellite Systems, Zheleznogorsk) was delivered to its target orbit and taken under control in accordance with the flight profile. GLONASS-M will replenish the aging GLONASS domestic global navigation satellite constellation. Before the GLONASS-M launch, 28 GLONASS spacecraft were in orbit. 24 of them were used according to their purpose, three ones in reserve, and one more under in-flight tests.

Soyuz-2.1B was built by GNPRKTs „TsSKB-Progress“ (Samara) and Fregat upper stage – by Lavochkin Research & Production Association.

GLONASS is a dual-purpose system designed for solving tasks to the benefit of the Russian ministry of Defense and civil customers. Both Russian and foreign customers have a free and unlimited access to the civil navigation signals from the GLONASS global positioning satellite system.

ROSCOSMOS Press Service