http://en.rian.ru/russia/20090604/155166861.html
Russia increases number of operational Glonass satellites to 17
MOSCOW, June 4 (RIA Novosti) - The number of operational satellites in Russia's
Glonass grouping has been increased to 17 while three more remain inactive,
Russia's Federal Space Agency Roscosmos said on Thursday.
Glonass - the Global Navigation Satellite System - is the Russian equivalent of
the U.S. Global Positioning System, or GPS, and is designed for both military
and civilian use. Both systems allow users to determine their positions to
within a few meters.
"According to Glonass information center, one of the four satellites under
maintenance was added to the grouping on May 30," Roscosmos said in a statement
on its website.
"As of June 1, the Glonass system comprises 20 satellites. A total of 17
satellites are operational while three remain under maintenance," the statement
said.
The system requires 18 satellites for continuous navigation services covering
the entire territory of the Russian Federation, and 24 satellites to provide
services worldwide.
A total of 9.9 billion rubles ($360 million at the current exchange rate) was
allocated for Glonass from the federal budget in 2007, and 4.7 billion rubles
($170 million) in 2006.
Prime Minister Vladimir Putin signed a directive on September 12, 2008,
allocating an additional $2.6 billion to develop the system.
Two Proton-M launch vehicles are expected to lift off this year to put six more
Glonass-M satellites into orbit.
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