The timing of launching the third navigation satellite Glonass-K into orbit has been revised again. This is reported by RIA Novosti, referring to information received from a source in the rocket and space industry.
Recall that Glonass-K is the third generation of domestic spacecraft for the GLONASS navigation system. The first satellite of the Glonass-K series was launched back in 2011, and the second device went into space in 2014.
Initially, the launch of the third Glonass-K satellite was planned for March this year. Then the launch of the apparatus into orbit was postponed to May, and subsequently to June. And now it is said that next month the launch of the satellite will also not take place.
βThe launch of Glonass-K has been postponed from the end of June to mid-July,β informed people said. The reason for the delay is the protracted production of the spacecraft.
The launch of the Glonassa-K satellite is planned to be carried out using the Soyuz-2.1b launch vehicle with the Fregat upper stage. The launch will be performed from the Plesetsk State Test Cosmodrome in the Arkhangelsk Region.
We add that at present the GLONASS system includes 27 spacecraft. Of these, 24 are used for their intended purpose. One satellite is at the stage of flight tests, two are in orbital reserve.
Source: 3dnews.ru