Russia successfully launches three satellites into orbit...
Russia's "three satellites in one rocket" successfully entered orbit, challenging the US GPS
According to relevant Russian media on December 26, at 23:18 on the evening of December 25 Moscow time (4:18 on December 26 Beijing time), the Russian "Proton-K" carrier rocket carrying three satellites of the Russian Global Satellite Navigation System (GLONASS) was successfully launched at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. At 2:50 a.m. on December 26 Moscow time (7:50 Beijing time), the three satellites successfully entered the predetermined orbit.
It is reported that Russia's global satellite navigation system "GLONASS" is similar to the US Global Positioning System (GPS) put into operation in 1993. After the construction of the "GLONASS" navigation system is completed, the entire system will have a total of 24 satellites. This system can be used for both military purposes and civilian projects. According to the Russian Federal Space Agency, the system will be able to function when the number of satellites reaches 18. After the three satellites launched this morning entered orbit, the number of satellites in the GLONASS navigation system has reached 17. The other satellites were launched at the end of December 2005.
It is reported that the function of the GLONASS global satellite navigation system is to accurately determine the position and movement speed of various targets on land, sea and air, including people, with the help of portable satellite navigation and positioning instruments. The positioning accuracy of the GLONASS navigation system can reach one meter. According to Russian Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov, by the end of 2007, all satellites of the GLONASS global satellite navigation system will be deployed and will begin to function within the territory of Russia. It is expected that by the end of 2009, the system will provide navigation services to the world. The service life of the entire system is expected to reach 10-12 years.
Russia's Proton-K launch vehicle is Russia's main heavy launch vehicle, with a starting weight of 700 tons, a launch weight of more than 20 tons to low-Earth orbit, and a launch weight of 2.6 tons to geosynchronous orbit. All three stages of the rocket are equipped with liquid jet engines.
