MOSCOW: Russia successfully launched a Glonass-M positioning satelliteSunday using a Soyuz-2.1b carrier rocket, the Russian Defense Ministry saidin a statement.
The Space Forces, a branch of the Aerospace Forces, launched the satellitefrom the Plesetsk space center at 00:46 local time (2146 GMT).Thepre-launch procedures and the launch itself went as planned, the statementadded.
The Glonass network provides real-time positioning data for surface, seaand airborne objects around the globe, at an accuracy reportedly on parwith the U.S. Global Positioning System.
With Sunday’s launch, there are now 26 Glonass satellites in orbit. Xinhua