Article Posted on : - Sep 28, 2010

An artistic representation of Global Navigation Satellite System (GLONASS). A file photo

MOSCOW (BNS): The Global Navigation Satellite System (GLONASS), built by Russian federal space agency will completely cover the Earth’s surface by the end of this year, the official confirms.

"This year, I think, we will provide 100% coverage of the globe with the Glonass navigation system," RIA Novosti quoted head of the federal space agency Roscosmos, Anatoly Perminov, as saying.

"We will have 24 [operational] satellites in orbit and 3-4 spacecraft in the required orbital reserve," he added.

Glonass - the Russian equivalent of the US Global Positioning System (GPS) is designed for both military and civilian use.

Russia currently has a total of 26 Glonass satellites in orbit, but only 16 of them are functional. The system requires 18 operational satellites for continuous navigation services covering the entire territory of Russia and at least 24 satellites to provide navigation services worldwide.

The space agency expects 23 Glonass satellites to be operational by the mid of October.