MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 15th October, 2019) The launch of the next Russian GLONASS navigation system satellite has been postponed until December, a source in the space industry told Sputnik.
"The launch has been postponed until December 2," the source said on Tuesday, adding that the new satellite will replace a GLONASS-M satellite that stopped operating in August, after its 7-year-warranty period ended.
The launch of the new GLONASS-M satellite was initially planned for November.
At the moment, the GLONASS navigation system consists of 27 satellites, including 23 operational devices in orbit. Two satellites are in maintenance. To ensure the global coverage of the navigation system, 24 operational satellites are needed.
Earlier this month, documents of the Ingosstrakh insurance company revealed that four more satellites will join the Russian GLONASS navigation system before 2021, two GLONASS-Ms, one GLONASS-K and one GLONASS-K2 satellite.
