MOSCOW. Aug 22 (Interfax-AVN) - The Reshetnev Information Satellite Systems based in Zheleznogorsk, Krasnoyarsk territory, will make about 15 Glonass-M navigation satellites before 2016, Reshetnev General Director Nikolai Testoyedov told Interfax-AVN.
"The launch program of 2012 has not been approved as yet. Preliminarily, it is planned to position three Glonass-M satellites in orbit with a Proton-M rocket. Everything will depend on the condition of the orbiting cluster," he said at the MAKS 2011 international aerospace show.
Apart from eight Glonass-M satellites to be launched in 2011-2012, the company is manufacturing another eight satellites, he said.
"Probably, 11 satellites will be built because of the failed launch of December 5. The satellites will be manufactured in 2013-2015. After that the production of Glonass-M will stop in accordance with the Glonass federal program," he said.
Glonass-M satellites will be in use until 2020-2021. They will be gradually replaced with the newest Glonass-K2 satellites starting from 2013-2014.