Russia To Launch 5 Glonass Satellites In 2021, Including Next-generation Ones - Source

MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 24th January, 2021) Russia plans to put five Glonass navigation satellites into orbit this year, including four next-generation satellites, a space industry source told Sputnik.

Director General of the ISS-Reshetnev "Information Satellite Systems" Company Nikolay Testoedov told Sputnik that Glonass-K2 flight tests were expected to start in 2021 and Russia planned to make 15 such satellites. According to Testoedov, Russia plans to launch one last Glonass-M satellite this year, as well as its first Glonass-K2 satellite.

"This year, five satellite launches are planned: of the last Glonass-M, in the course of the year, two Glonass-Ks, in the second and third quarters, two Glonass-K2s, in the third and fourth quarters," a space source told Sputnik, adding that the launch schedule might be subject to change.

In October, Russia put its third Glonass-K satellite into orbit. The satellite's launch was postponed several times, starting from March 2020, amid production delays. The first Glonass-K satellite was launched in February 2011, while the second one was launched in December 2014.

Russia has been launching Glonass-M satellites since 2003 and has made over 50 satellites of this older model. The Glonass-K models produce more navigational signals than the Glonass-Ms and have a longer service life.

There are currently 28 satellites in the Russian Glonass constellation, 23 of them are operational, two are in maintenance. In February, spokesperson of Russian satellite maker ISS-Reshetnev said that nine next-generation Glonass-K satellites would be added to the constellation by 2022.