Russia set to launch four satellites

Moscow: Russia has plans to launch four more satellites for the Global Navigation Satellite System (Glonass) by this year-end, the Aerospace Defence Forces head said Saturday.

The Glonass, officially launched in 1993, is Russia`s answer to the US Global Positioning System (GPS). It provides data for real-time positioning and speed of surface, sea and air objects to within an accuracy of one meter. “Three GLONASS satellites are scheduled to be launched on board of a Proton carrier rocket in July from the Baikonur space centre and another one is planned to be launched in December from the Plesetsk space centre,” Maj. Gen. Alexander Golovko said. The most recent launch of the GLONASS satellite took place April 26, when a Soyuz 2-1b rocket blasted off from the Plesetsk space centre to orbit a GLONASS-M satellite. IANS