No more Glonass-M satellite launches planned before end of year

Glonass.                                                                     Photo: RIA Novosti

The 2013 program of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) does not include any more satellite launches as part of the Global Navigation Satellite System (GLONASS) project this year, a space rocket industry source said.

"The GLONASS orbiting group is functioning normally. All 24 satellites are operating. All the areas are covered. There is no need to conduct new launches before the end of the year," he said.

Following the loss of three Glonass-M satellites, media reports claimed that two launches of Glonass-M satellites were expected to take place from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome in early September and at the end of October.

The GLONASS system includes a total of 29 satellites, one of which is currently undergoing maintenance, three make up a backup group, and another one is being tested.

Voice of Russia, Interfax

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