Launch Of Russia's Next-Generation Glonass-K Satellite Expected In One Month - Source

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 02nd August, 2020) The launch of Russia's next-generation Glonass-K navigation satellite, which has been postponed several times, is planned for the end of August, a space industry source told Sputnik.

"The new launch range is the end of August - start of September," the source said.

Last month, a space industry source told Sputnik that the launch of Glonass-K from the Plesetsk space center was expected to take place on August 6.

The Glonass-K satellite, the third Russian navigation satellite of the type, is planned to be launched using the Soyuz-2.

1b carrier rocket with the Fregat upper-stage booster. The satellite's launch has been postponed several times since March, amid production delays.

The first Glonass-K satellite was launched in February 2011, while the second one was launched in December 2014.

There are currently 27 satellites in the Russian Glonass constellation, 23 of them are operational. In February, spokesperson of Russian satellite maker ISS-Reshetnev said that nine next-generation Glonass-K satellites would be added to the constellation by 2022.