Russia To Begin GLONASS Satellite Grouping Overhaul In 2020 - Source

MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 06th November, 2019) Russia is planning to carry out five launches of navigation satellites in 2020 to start a massive overhaul of its GLONASS orbital grouping, a Russian space industry source told Sputnik.

Over the past five years, Russia has been launching no more than two navigation satellites annually. At the same time, the majority of the GLONASS satellites in orbit operate beyond the warranty period. As a result, the GLONASS network experienced multiple malfunctions in 2019 when only 21 devices remained operational, while a total of 24 global satellites were needed to ensure global signal coverage.

"Next year, the launches of the last two satellites of the GLONASS-M series are planned, as well as the launches of two GLONASS-K and a GLONAS-K2 to start the upgrade of the satellite grouping with new-generation spacecraft," the source said.

All launches will be conducted from the Plesetsk space center in northern Russia on Soyuz-2 carrier rockets, the source added.

The GLONASS navigation grouping currently consists of 27 satellites, including 23 operational, two in maintenance, one spare and one in flight test phase.