A Proton booster rocket blasted off from Baikonur cosmodrome on Thursday to deploy three satellites of the global positioning system GLONASS into orbit, according to Itar-Tass. Lieutenant-Colonel Alexei Zolotukhin, chief of the information and public relations service of the Russian Space Defence Forces, has told Itar-Tass, "The Proton rocket with a DM acceleration unit and three GLONASS-M spacecraft was launched at 12:49, Moscow time". The purpose of the launch is to replenish the orbital satellite cluster of the GLONASS system. As of September 24, according to the data of the Central Engineering Research Institute, "The orbital cluster has available 16 satellites, including 14 ones used for designated purpose, one is temporarily out of operation for technical maintenance, and another one is in the stage of being removed from the system". The GLONASS system is designed to form a continuous field of navigational signal, by means of which it is possible to determine with high accuracy the position and speed of movement of any moving objects fitted out with GLONASS receivers. At least 18 operating satellites are essential to ensure that the GLONASS navigational signal is continuously received throughout Russia's territory. Full complement is 24 satellites. GLONASS-M satellites are made on the basis of a hermetically sealed platform at the Zheleznogorsk-based Reshetnev Satellite-Aided Data Systems public joint-stock company. The period of their active functioning is seven years. They will operate in circular orbits at an altitude of 19,100 km and an orbital inclination of 64.8 degrees. New satellites are to be rendered operational within 45 days after launch. Originally the GLONASS system was put into operation in the interests of the Russian Defence Ministry in September 1993 with an initial limited make-up of 12 satellites. In December 1995, the orbital cluster was enlarged to complement. However, owing to underfunding, the satellite cluster again diminished to the limited number. On February 18, 1999, on an instruction from the President of the Russian Federation, GLONASS was defined as a dual-use system. In December 2005, Vladimir Putin assigned the Roscosmos and the Defence Ministry to expedite the restoration of the orbital cluster of satellites of the GLONASS system to complement. Vice-Premier Sergei Ivanov outlined a new timeframe for the restoration of the orbital satellite cluster on September 12. "Already this year, six new GLONASS spacecraft will be put into orbit. Before 2012 we are planning to bring the satellite cluster to complement so as to cover both the Russian Federation and the globe as a whole," Ivanov said during a meeting with Putin.
