PLESETSK SPACE CENTER. Oct 3 (Interfax-AVN) - The launch of a new-generation Glonass-K navigation satellite planned originally for December 2011 has been postponed to early 2012, Nikolai Testoyedov, the general designer and general director of Reshetnyov Information Satellite Systems located in the Krasnoyarsk territory told Interfax-AVN.
"The launch of a Glonass-K spacecraft, whose active service life has been extended to 10 years, will take place at the beginning of next year," Testoyedov said after a Glonass-M satellite was successfully launched into orbit from the Plesetsk space center early on Monday.
The third-generation Glonass-K satellites can send five navigation signals rather than two, as the Glonass-M does. In addition, the latter are heavier and can serve only seven years. "As the Glonass-K serves longer, they can be launched more rarely, which will save quite significant funds," Testoyedov said.
The Glonass long-term development plans envision that most of the satellites will be the new-generation ones by 2020, which should significantly improve the system's precision and reliability, Testoyedov said.
The first Glonass-K satellite was launched from the Plesetsk space center on February 26, 2011, and is currently undergoing flight tests.