Russia launches three new navigation satellites

Russia launches three new navigation satellites


Russia launches three new navigation satellites: report AFP – A Russian Proton-M rocket carrying Russian Global Navigation Satellite System (GLONASS) blasts into space …

MOSCOW (AFP) – A Russian Proton-M rocket was launched into space Thursday with three new satellites for Moscow's GLONASS navigation system, aimed at competing with US and European systems, a report said.

The satellites were placed into orbit after the rocket blasted off from Russia's Baikonur launch pad in Kazakhstan at 1043 GMT, a Russian space agency spokesman said, according to Interfax news agency.

The 1.4-tonne satellites join 17 others that are part of the GLONASS system, which Russia aims to finish next year. When completed, it will have a total of 24 satellites.

GLONASS was developed by the Russian military in the 1980s to compete with the US Global Positioning System (GPS) and Europe's Galileo.

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