Russia launches 3 GLONASS satellites
Posted: Fri, Sep 26, 2008, 7:30 AM ET (1130 GMT)
A Proton rocket launched three Russian navigation satellites on Thursday. The Proton-M rocket lifted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome at 4:49 am EDT (0849 GMT) Thursday and placed the three GLONASS satellites into medium Earth orbit. The launch is the latest step in an effort by the Russian government to reconstitute the GLONASS system, which fell into disrepair several years after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Russia plans to launch three more GLONASS satellites by the end of the year and increase the size of the overall satellite constellation from the current 16 to 30 by the end of 2011, providing an alternative to the existing US GPS system and the planned European Galileo network. The launch was also the second Proton launch in less than a week, after another Proton-M launched a commercial communications satellite last week.
A Proton rocket launched three Russian navigation satellites on Thursday. The Proton-M rocket lifted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome at 4:49 am EDT (0849 GMT) Thursday and placed the three GLONASS satellites into medium Earth orbit. The launch is the latest step in an effort by the Russian government to reconstitute the GLONASS system, which fell into disrepair several years after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Russia plans to launch three more GLONASS satellites by the end of the year and increase the size of the overall satellite constellation from the current 16 to 30 by the end of 2011, providing an alternative to the existing US GPS system and the planned European Galileo network. The launch was also the second Proton launch in less than a week, after another Proton-M launched a commercial communications satellite last week.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
Apex becomes billion-dollar company with $200 million Series D round
Posted: Sun, Sep 14 4:09 AM ET (0809 GMT) |
|
news links
|
|
Wednesday, September 17
Falcon 9 launch of Starlink satellites scheduled for Wednesday morning
KEYT-TV Santa Barbara, CA — 1:34 am ET (0534 GMT) Colorado Springs springs into action amid loss of Space Command
Washington Times — 1:34 am ET (0534 GMT) SpaceX rocket-launching license survives NEPA challenge
POLITICO — 1:30 am ET (0530 GMT) SpaceX Eyes First Starship Version 3 Launch In ’25 Or ’26
Aviation Week — 1:29 am ET (0529 GMT) Judge dismisses suit challenging SpaceX's Starship approval
Houston Chronicle — 1:28 am ET (0528 GMT) |
