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Three Siberia-created GLONASS-M satellites ready for launch to near-Earth orbit

All the 3 satellites had been delivered to the Baikonur space launch site on May 21 and 27 and June 3, undergone a full series of test trials and are now ready for launch on July...

KRASNOYARSK, July 1 (Itar-Tass) - Three new Glonass-M satellites created in Zheleznogorsk in the Krasnoyarsk territory are ready for launch to the near-Earth orbit. The satellites will complete an orbital group of the Glonass-M home navigation system.

A source at the Academician M.F. Reshetov “Information Satellite Systems”, a leading space enterprise in Russia that has designed the satellites, told Itar-Tass on Monday that all the three satellites (number 48, 49 and 50) had been delivered to the Baikonur space launch site on May 21 and 27 and June 3. They have undergone a full series of test trials and are now ready for launch on July 2.

This is going to be the second Glonass launch this year. Glonass satellite number 47 was launched from a space launch facility in Plesetsk in April this year.

"In 2012, the Information Satellite Systems made two satellites, which, however, were not launched because the GLONASS orbital navigation system was operating normally,” the source explained.

At present, the enterprise is in process of making another twelve navigation satellites (at various phases) under the federal program targeted at maintaining and developing the GLONASS system.

At present, the Russian orbital group consists of 24 navigation satellites, which cover the territory of the globe irrespective of season, time of the day or meteorological conditions. Another four satellites are in reserve. Besides, the newly-designed satellite Glonass-K is undergoing flight tests.

The Information Satellite Systems is Russia’s leading space enterprise specializing in the design, development and manufacture of high performance spacecraft and satellite systems.

The company owns the latest technology to perform a complete satellite manufacturing cycle, including mission-critical satellite testing and qualification as well as satellite-in-orbit control and support.

Information Satellite Systems has participated in more than 30 government and commercial space programs and manufactured over 50 different types of highly reliable LEO, MEO, HEO and GSO spacecraft.

Since June 2013, the orbital group of satellites designed and produced by Information Satellite Systems consists of 83 satellites of which 54 are used for the designated purpose.