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One of the recently launched satellites GLONASS commissioned.. / January 13, 2010 /

One of the three recently launched satellites GLONASS-M "in Monday, January 11, was put into operation, the website reported Roskosmos. In view of this satellite the total number of operating satellites in the orbital grouping of GLONASS is 16 pieces.

Three new satellites went into space on Dec. 14, 2009 on board the carrier rocket Proton-M ". Thus, currently in orbit 22 satellites of the GLONASS. Two of them were not yet in operation, three temporarily operate in normal mode. Another device was finally decided to exclude from the system GLONASS.

At the end of September 2009 into orbit should have been launched three more satellites GLONASS-M. However, the start was postponed to 2010, and the satellites themselves dismantled and returned to the manufacturer. The reason for this decision were suspected possession of apparatus of internal defects.

Employed satellites provide almost complete coverage of the signal in Siberia. Coverage in the Far East and the European part of Russia is about 92-97 per cent. In order for the GLONASS could be used for navigation throughout Russia, the number of orbital groups must be brought up to 18 vehicles. Navigation around the world will become possible once the number of satellites would be 24. However, according to the head of Federal Space Agency Anatoly Perminov, to ensure reliable operation of the system to 30 satellites.

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