January 9, 2008 Vol. 1, Issue 1
Russia launched three GLONASS satellites into orbit on a Proton-M rocket on December 25, 2007 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.
The satellites are part of Russia’s Global Navigation Satellite System (GLONASS), a GPS-compatible system designed for both military and civilian uses. The system, which now consists of 18 satellites, is being readied to serve commercial customers within Russia later this year. The government aims to have a 24-satellite configuration operational by 2009, enabling it to provide full global coverage.
