Article Posted on : - Sep 09, 2010

A Russian Rokot carrier rocket orbited a Gonets-M satellite and two Kosmos satellites

MOSCOW (BNS): Russia on Wednesday successfully orbited two Kosmos satellites and a Gonets-M satellite, using a Russian Rokot carrier rocket from northern Russia, a media report said.

According to RIA Novosti, the rocket lifted off from the Plesetsk space center, at 0330 GMT has orbited the three satellites two hours after the launch.

Gonets-M is a part of Russia's large-scale Glonass satellite navigation system, while Kosmos will be used for military communications.

GLONASS – Global Navigation Satellite System – is an alternative and complementary system to the US’ Global Positioning System, China’s Compass navigation system and the planned Galileo positioning system of the European Union.

Currently, Russia has 26 Glonass satellite into orbit, in which two are not functional.

The system requires 18 satellites for continuous navigation services covering the entire Russian Federation and 24 satellites to provide services worldwide, it said.