Russia Delays Launch of GLONASS-K Satellite
December 3, 2012
According to RIA Novosti, the launch of Russia’s second GLONASS-K satellite has been delayed until 2013 from its […]
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According to RIA Novosti, the launch of Russia’s second GLONASS-K satellite has been delayed until 2013 from its […]
Since December 2011, the GLONASS system has been fully operational, providing worldwide service with 100 percent global availability and acceptable accuracy for most users. The system is globally accepted by many users, and most leading manufacturers include GLONASS in their devices.
This month there is good news — great news, actually — where GPS and PNT (Position, Navigation and Timing) systems are concerned. On October 22, a Russian Soyuz rocket placed in orbit the first two validation satellites, built by EADS Astrium Germany, in the Galileo PNT constellation after making its maiden launch from Kourou. Don’t confuse these recent satellites with the earlier experimental satellites, GIOVE-A launched in 2005 followed by GIOVE-B launched in 2008. These initial satellites served to preserve the Galileo ITU frequency filings and test the first-ever space borne Hydrogen Maser atomic clock, which by all accounts is proving to be extremely accurate.
The GLONASS-K satellite, transmitting a CDMA signal in the L3 band, inaugurates a new era of radionavigation signals for both the Russian system and for international GNSS interoperability. As demand for high-precision services through dual- or triple-frequency user equipment increases, GLONASS will come to the forefront. The 2014 GLONASS-K2 satellite will have an FDMA signal in the L1 and L2 bands and CDMA signals in L1, L2, and L3. The overall constellation update will be completed in 2021. Another 2014 launch will fill the Russian SBAS orbit constellation with three geostationary space vehicles.
GLONASS-K is moved to the launchpad. News courtesy of CANSPACE listserv. According to a Roscosmos report, the […]
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