GLONASS-K

The Federal Targeted Program "Global Navigation System" 2002–2011, introduced in 2001, stipulated the development of a third-generation navigation satellite design, called GLONASS-K, as part of the overall GLONASS upgrade program in the time frame 2005–2011. The new satellite followed the second generation GLONASS-M, introduced in 2003.[2] The Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) initially ordered 27 GLONASS-K satellites from ISS Reshetnev, the developer of all the previous GLONASS satellites.[3] On 7 December 2010, the company announced it had completed ground tests of the first GLONASS-K satellite.[4] The satellite was launched to orbit on 26 February 2011.[5] On November 30, 2014, the second and supposedly last GLONASS-K1 development satellite was put to orbit as Kosmos 2501.[6]

On a May 28, 2014, interview, Nikolay Testoyedov — president of ISS Reshetnev — stated that production of GLONASS-M would end in 2015, with GLONASS-K being exclusively produced after that final batch.[7] In an December 14, 2014, interview with GPS World, he stated that because of Western sanctions that limited the supply of radiation resistant electronics, they had decided to launch nine additional GLONASS-K1 as fleet replacement while they finished the GLONASS-K2 design.[8] In a May 2015 presentation, Mr. Testoyedov expected the serial production of GLONASS-K1 to start flying in early 2018, just after the launch of the first GLONASS-K2 prototype. The presentation showed at least eleven additional GLONASS-K1 satellites flying until 2020.[9]

GLONASS-K is the first unpressurised GLONASS satellite—all of its equipments are able to operate in a vacuum. Due to this, the satellite's mass has been substantially reduced: GLONASS-K has a mass of just 935 kg compared to its predecessor GLONASS-M, which had a mass of 1,450 kg.[10] The new satellite has an operational lifetime of 10 years, three years longer than that of GLONASS-M and seven years longer than the lifetime of the original GLONASS satellite. It also increased the power supply from GLONASS-M's 1,400 W to 1,600 W.[10]

GLONASS-K will transmit additional navigation signals to improve the system's accuracy.[2] Existing FDMA signals, 2 military and 2 civilian, will be transmitted on the L1 and L2 bands, and additional civilian CDMA signals will be transmitted in the L1, L2, L3 and L5 bands.[11][12][13]

For launching the satellites, two options are planned: six satellites simultaneously from Baikonur Cosmodrome on the heavy-lift Proton-M, or two simultaneously from Plesetsk Cosmodrome on a Soyuz-2 with a Fregat upper stage.[16] In comparison, the previous GLONASS-M satellites could only be launched three at a time on a Proton-M. The new launch scheme is expected to cut orbiting costs by 50%. The new satellite's advanced equipment —made solely from Russian components— was expected to allow doubling the accuracy.[13] The launch of the first GLONASS-K satellite did however not conform to the general plan, as it was launched alone on a Soyuz-2.1b instead of in a pair.

At 06:07 Moscow Time on 26 February 2011, the first GLONASS-K satellite, Kosmos 2471, was launched. The launch took place from Plesetsk Cosmodrome on a Soyuz-2.1b rocket with a Fregat upper stage.[17] The satellite reached the correct orbit at 09:39.[5] At 09:44, ground stations established control over the satellite.[18] A Space Forces spokesman told Interfax: "we have established and are maintaining steady telemetry communications with the spacecraft... the on-board systems of the Glonass-K satellite are functioning normally."[17] Successful reception of the CDMA signal in L3 band has been reported by independent researchers.[19][20]

At 21:52:26 UTC on 30 November 2014, the second GLONASS-K satellite, Kosmos 2501 was launched. The launch took place from Plesetsk Cosmodrome on a Soyuz-2.1b rocket with a Fregat upper stage.[21][18] The spacecraft separated from the launch vehicle at 01:25 UTC of 1 December.[22]

Russia has exhibited the Glonass-K spacecraft during the CeBIT 2011 fair, that took place in Hannover from 1st to 5 March.

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  Detailed view of the antennas
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  General view of the Payload Module
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  General view
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  General view