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Russia may create Glonass ground stations in Africa and Asia-Pacific region

In June this year, Russia completed the procedure of approving an inter-governmental agreement on outer space with Argentina

LE BOURGET /France/, June 18. /TASS/. Russia may place ground stations of its Glonass satellite navigation system on the territory of African and Asia-Pacific countries, State Space Corporation Roscosmos Deputy CEO for International Cooperation Sergei Savelyev said at the Le Bourget air show on Tuesday.

"The negotiations on placing Glonass ground stations are underway with countries of Southeast Asia, the African and Asia-Pacific regions," Savelyev said.

In June this year, Russia completed the procedure of approving an inter-governmental agreement on outer space with Argentina. After it is signed, Roscosmos will be able to switch to the practical implementation of the project for placing a Glonass ground station on the territory of Argentina, he added.

Roscosmos earlier told TASS that the space corporation and the Argentine Commission for Aerospace Research (CONAE) would be developing cooperation in satellite navigation. In particular, the parties were discussing the issue of placing Glonass ground stations in Argentina.

Russia’s Glonass orbital satellite grouping is a global navigation system along with the US GPS. Its creation began back in the 1970s-1980s.

In order to provide for the guaranteed global coverage, Russia needs to operate 24 Glonass orbital satellites rotating around Earth in a medium circular orbit at an altitude of 19,100 km, with eight satellites in each of the three orbital planes.

Currently, the following other global navigation satellite systems exist apart from the Glonass: the American GPS, the European Galileo and the Chinese BeiDou.

Besides, regional navigation systems are operated by India (NavIC, previously IRNSS) and Japan (QZSS).