Roscosmos delays Proton launch with three Glonass satellites

MOSCOW. November 3. KAZINFORM The Russian space agency Roscosmos delayed the launch of a Proton M rocket with a cargo of three Glonass satellites on Thursday for technical reasons, the agency said.

The agency said the launch, from the Plesetsk cosmodrome, will take place on Friday.

The launch will be the first of a rocket carrying Glonass satellites since an accident in December 2010 which was due to put into orbit the final key elements of the Glonass system, but fell into the Pacific Ocean, RIA Novosti reports.

Another launch into near-earth orbit is planned for November 22, when a Soyuz 2.16 will be launched from Plesetsk carrying a single Glonass satellite.

There are currently 27 Glonass satellites in orbit, including 23 working in full service, one Glonass-K satellite, two which are in part-time service and one in reserve.

Glonass is a global satellite navigation system developed in Russia and is analogous to the US Global Positioning System (GPS).

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