spacetoday.net: India and Russia to cooperate on GLONASS

Posted: Sun, Dec 5, 2004, 1:47 PM ET (1847 GMT)
GLONASS spacecraft illustration (NPO PM)

India will help Russia replenish its constellation of GLONASS navigation satellites, including launching some satellites on Indian vehicles, officials of the two countries announced this week. Under an agreement signed last week during a visit to India by Russian president Vladimir Putin, the two countries will work together to bring the GLONASS system up to a minimum effective size of 18 operational satellites by 2007. There are currently 11 operational GLONASS satellites, with three more scheduled for launch later this month on a Proton. Some additional satellites will also be launched on Indian boosters at no charge to the Russian government, Russian officials said this weekend. The GLONASS system, developed by the former Soviet Union as its version of the American GPS navigation system, fell into disrepair after the end of the Cold War when Russia lacked the money to launch replacement satellites. India's decision to work with Russia on GLONASS comes after the Indian government reached an agreement with Europe to participate in Galileo, another satellite navigation system under development.