Discussion GLONASS complement dynamics

[SiberianTiger]

This topic is to keep track after how well GLONASS system is getting to its full complement. According to the latest promise, it's going to reach the full availability in the end of 2010.

The previous peak was reached in 1995 with the old Uragan type spacecrafts, just simultaneously with the outbreak of complete slackening the reins in Russian economy by the government (see the graph).

In 2000's, a new 2nd generation Uragan-M sats with extended lifetime were introduced, but their reliability had not been satisfactory just enough to balance between the constellation decay and launch rates, most of the time keeping the number of operational satellites between 10 and 16.

Also, not much of civilian Glonass receiving hardware and maps were available on the market before 2008 (and that's why the system still doesn't sell very good).

Before the launch of December 19, 2009 the numbers were:

As of today, all of the launched satellites (730, 733, 734) have been commissioned. However, #713 has been moved into decommission state from maintenance and #712 has been put out of operation for maintenance:

The current plans are to launch two Uragan-M triplets on March 2, 2010 and on some day in August; in November, a 1st test article of the new Uragan-K satellite will accompany two Uragan-M in a single launch on Proton. This is going to fill the constellation to the full capacity (24 satellites in 3 planes).

For 2011, two triplet launches on Proton are planned to fight against the expected decay rate.

 

[SiberianTiger]

two less, three more

As of Feb 28, 2010, Satellite 701 (was in Plane I) has finally been decommissioned, having served 1444 days in the system; Satellite 713 (was in Plane III) has also been decommissioned after just 970 days of service.

The tonight's launch (March 1/2) will put in orbit satellites 731, 732 (from Block 40 supply, was initially to launch last December, but were sent back for repairs to the factory) and 735 (a new one) into orbital Plane III.

This will boost the total number of active satellites to 23.

 

[SiberianTiger]

http://en.rian.ru/science/20100804/160064897.html

Acoustic tests on new Glonass-K satellite completed

Acoustic tests on a new generation Glonass-K navigation satellite have been completed at a plant in southern Russia.

"These types of experimental tests were carried out to confirm the resilience of the Glonass-K satellite to the acoustic pressure which will be applied on it when it is orbited," a statement by the plant said. "The tests were successful."

The Glonass-K, a new generation satellite navigation system, is set for launch later this year.

The satellite is operable for 10 years.

 

[SiberianTiger]

Satellites #731, 732 and 735, launched on March 2, 2010 were all commissioned on March, 28 and are now working in plane III. Numbers 714 and 726, having exceeded their lifetimes, but still in order, are now forming a spare fleet for the Plane III.

New #736, 737, 738 will be launched on September 2, 2010 into Plane II.

 

[SiberianTiger]

An informational chart on Roscosmos website (http://www.federalspace.ru/main.php?id=2&nid=12353) displaying the Glonass constellation distribution prior to September 2nd's launch:

The three launched satellites are going to take up the two vacancies in Plane II and probably replace #722 which is ought to be put into reserve.

 

[SiberianTiger]

I don't know if posting news not really describing the satellite activity is okay here, but still it's related to GLONASS.

Like if today wasn't bad enough (one terrorist bombing, raging wildfires almost near my home in Siberia etc.), the mass media have come up with an information regarding plans of the Govt to enforce use of GLONASS receivers on every automobile in Russia used as a public transport. The appropriate change of acts of standards is prepared by the Ministry of Transport and is to be effective since July 1st, 2011. Vehicle owners not having GLONASS receivers will be eligible for fining since this date.

Right now people won't buy coupled GLONASS/GPS receivers out of a simple reason this hardware costs much more than solo GPS receivers. And in a case when not just a navigator, but a position transmitter is required, the cost may be as high as about $1000 per mobile unit.

Others, like taxi drivers, just don't need any satellite navigation, but will have to obtain one according to the new law.

To discover what's really happening, you may read a short article published last July: Russia wants to force Glonass down throats

Speaking shortly, GLONASS is going to take its place in the long row of valuable assets whose foundation was laid during the USSR and which now fell totally in private hands. This is coupled with dramatic undertaking of spreading the user base wide: international users will have to use GLONASS because the chip is hardwired to weaponry Russia exports, and we the Russians will simply be forced to use it. All is for the sake of making money. And there is a quite a short list of names of the people who will directly benefit from existence and maintaining of GLONASS.

 

[SiberianTiger]

http://www.federalspace.ru/main.php?id=3&nid=10514

Commissioning of the First of Three Glonass-M’s Launched in September
:: 06.10.2010

Satellite №736 of the GLONASS orbital constellation has been commissioned on Oct. 4. The satellite was launched on Sept. 2, aboard Proton, together with the other two navigation spacecraft.
Currently, GLONASS constellation comprises 26 satellites, with 18 in nominal operation, 2- to be commissioned, 4 undergoing technical maintenance, and 2 as orbital backup.
Three Glonass-M’s and one new-generation Glonass-K are to launched by the end of 2010.

Roscosmos PAO

 

[orb]

Aviation Week: Glonass Completion Now Expected This Year:

The Russian government is struggling to compensate for a Proton launch failure that dashed hopes of having a full 24-unit Glonass navigation satellite constellation in service by the end of 2010.

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[orb]

Roscosmos:
Full-Scale Ops of Russia’s GLONASS to Start by July - Roscosmos
:: 12.01.2011

Full-scale operations of Russia’s Global Navigation Satellite System (GLONASS) are expected to start sometime in January–June, Russia’s Federal Space Agency Director Anatoly Perminov said, ITAR-TASS reported Tuesday.

In early December 2010, Perminov said GLONASS was expected to reach global coverage in March 2011.

At present, GLONASS has 21 operational satellites among a total of 26 satellites of the GLONASS-M type orbiting the Earth, according to Perminov. By January 18, one more satellite is expected to become operational, Perminov said, adding that in February–March, a GLONASS-K satellite with enhanced features is expected to be put into orbit, thus increasing the number of operational GLONASS satellites to 23. The GLONASS-K satellite was initially expected to be launched in late December 2010.

The date of the launch of the 24th GLONASS satellite has not been determined, Perminov said.

In order to cover the entire territory of Russia, GLONASS requires at least 18 operational satellites, and to provide global coverage it requires 24 operational satellites. Perminov, however, said in December that 23 satellites would be enough to cover the entire Earth.

Also, the federal agency preliminarily plans to put three GLONASS satellites into orbit at once in August, Perminov said.

The federal agency planned to put three GLONASS-M satellites into orbit on December 5, 2010, but the satellites crashed into the Pacific Ocean several hours after being launched because of a fuel miscalculation.

 

[orb]

Aviation Week: Glonass Regains Full Operational Capability:

MOSCOW — Russia’s national satellite navigation system, Glonass, finally has regained its full operational capability to provide global coverage.

The Glonass operational fleet now includes 24 satellites: eight on each of the three orbital planes. The last, the 24th Glonass-M spacecraft, entered into service on Dec. 8. It is from the last batch of the three satellites orbited on Nov. 4 aboard a Proton-M launch vehicle.

Three more satellites—two this year and another early next—will be introduced into operations.

Two more Glonass-Ms are temporally withdrawn from the constellation for maintenance; one satellite of the same type is being held in orbital reserve while a new Glonass-K spacecraft is undergoing on-orbit testing.

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