Article Posted on : - Jun 02, 2011

A file photo.

MOSCOW (ITAR-TASS): Russia's navigation system GLONASS is more accurate than American GPS, Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) Deputy Director Anatoly Shilov has claimed.

"Today the accuracy of GLONASS is 6 metres, and that of GPS is 7 metres," Shilov said at the 5th international forum on satellite navigation on Wednesday, June 1.

He said the accuracy of the Russian navigation system would have to be improved to 2-3 metres in the years to come.

In his opinion, this can be done only if the system operates at full capacity with 24 satellites.

Russia plans to launch another GLONASS-M satellite in August and another three in September-October from Baikonur in Kazakhstan.

GLONASS system will become fully operational by the end of 2011.

The previous satellite, launched in late February 26, is designed to operate longer - ten years - and provide more accurate coordinates of down to 1.5 metres.

The next launch from Baikonur is scheduled for this summer. "At any rate, the system will become fully operational by the end of 2011, with 24 satellites covering the whole planet," First Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov said earlier.