ROSCOSMOS - GLONASS Mission patch.
11/28/2011
November 28 at 12 hours 25 minutes Moscow time from Launch Complex 43 site Plesetsk military calculations of the Russian Space Forces, with the participation of specialists of space-rocket industry made a successful launch of space rocket "Soyuz-2.1b" with the upper stage "Fregat" and navigation spacecraft " Glonass-M. "
Soyuz-2.1b with the upper stage Fregat and navigation spacecraft Glonass-M launch
In accordance with cyclogram launch the spacecraft into its target orbit in 15 hours 57 minutes Moscow time the spacecraft "Glonass-M" cleanly separated from the booster and 16.03 GMT taken by management.
Soyuz-2.1b with the upper stage Fregat and navigation spacecraft Glonass-M
Following the withdrawal of Russian spacecraft in orbit, the GLONASS orbital group will consist of 31 satellites, of which currently 23 are used for their intended purpose, four are on the stage of putting into the system, 2 temporarily withdrawn for maintenance, one at a time - in the orbital and reserve during flight tests.
Operation of the spacecraft flight involves the following steps:
GLONASS-M satellite
Removal of a satellite into orbit after its separation from the booster, there is checking of all onboard systems; cast and production satellite in the system with the specified point of the period of revolution and the angular position of the system in the plane (the duration of this stage - from one week to one month and is determined by the angular position of the satellite at the point of the launch system and satellite point); staffing of the satellite; satellite location outside the system (for example, for preventive and remedial works on the command from the control center).
Original text in Russian: http://www.federalspace.ru/main.php?id=2&nid=18346
Images, Text, Credits: Press Service of the Russian Space Agency (Roscosmos PAO) / ROSCOSMOS / Translation: Orbiter.ch.
Best regards, Orbiter.ch
