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GLONASS (russian: ГЛОНАСС, label=none, ; rus, links=no, Глобальная навигационная спутниковая система, r=Global'naya Navigatsionnaya Sputnikovaya Sistema, t=Global Navigation Satellite System) is a Russian
satellite navigation A satellite navigation or satnav system is a system that uses satellites to provide autonomous geo-spatial positioning. It allows satellite navigation devices to determine their location (longitude, latitude, and altitude/elevation) to high pr ...
system operating as part of a
radionavigation-satellite service A satellite navigation or satnav system is a system that uses satellites to provide autonomous geo-spatial positioning. It allows satellite navigation devices to determine their location (longitude, latitude, and altitude/elevation) to high pre ...
. It provides an alternative to
Global Positioning System The Global Positioning System (GPS), originally Navstar GPS, is a satellite-based radionavigation system owned by the United States government and operated by the United States Space Force. It is one of the global navigation satellite sy ...
(GPS) and is the second navigational system in operation with global coverage and of comparable precision.
Satellite navigation device A satellite navigation device (satnav device) is a user equipment that uses one or more of several global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) to calculate the device's geographical position and provide navigational advice. Depending on the ...
s supporting both GPS and GLONASS have more satellites available, meaning positions can be fixed more quickly and accurately, especially in built-up areas where buildings may obscure the view to some satellites. GLONASS supplementation of GPS systems also improves positioning in high latitudes (north or south). Development of GLONASS began in the Soviet Union in 1976. Beginning on 12 October 1982, numerous rocket launches added satellites to the system, until the completion of the constellation in 1995. After a decline in capacity during the late 1990s, in 2001, the restoration of the system was made a government priority and funding increased substantially. GLONASS is the most expensive program of the
Roscosmos The State Space Corporation "Roscosmos" (russian: Государственная корпорация по космической деятельности «Роскосмос»), commonly known simply as Roscosmos (russian: Роскосмос) ...
, consuming a third of its budget in 2010. By 2010, GLONASS had achieved full coverage of Russia's territory and in October 2011 the full orbital constellation of 24 satellites was restored, enabling full global coverage. The GLONASS satellites' designs have undergone several upgrades, with the latest version,
GLONASS-K2 GLONASS-K2 is the next satellite design intended to support the Russian GLONASS radio-based satellite navigation system. Developed by ISS Reshetnev (Reshetnev Information Satellite Systems), the first satellite is expected to be launched in 2023 ...
, scheduled to enter service in 2023.


System description

GLONASS is a global navigation satellite system, providing real time position and velocity determination for military and civilian users. The satellites are located in middle circular orbit at altitude with a 64.8° inclination and a period of 11 hours and 15 minutes. GLONASS's orbit makes it especially suited for usage in high latitudes (north or south), where getting a
GPS The Global Positioning System (GPS), originally Navstar GPS, is a satellite-based radionavigation system owned by the United States government and operated by the United States Space Force. It is one of the global navigation satellite sy ...
signal can be problematic. The constellation operates in three orbital planes, with eight evenly spaced satellites on each. A fully operational constellation with global coverage consists of 24 satellites, while 18 satellites are necessary for covering the territory of Russia. To get a position fix the receiver must be in the range of at least four satellites.


Signal


FDMA

GLONASS satellites transmit two types of signal: open standard-precision signal L1OF/L2OF, and
obfuscated Obfuscation is the obscuring of the intended meaning of communication by making the message difficult to understand, usually with confusing and ambiguous language. The obfuscation might be either unintentional or intentional (although intent u ...
high-precision signal L1SF/L2SF. The signals use similar
DSSS In telecommunications, direct-sequence spread spectrum (DSSS) is a spread-spectrum modulation technique primarily used to reduce overall signal interference. The direct-sequence modulation makes the transmitted signal wider in bandwidth than t ...
encoding and binary phase-shift keying (BPSK) modulation as in GPS signals. All GLONASS satellites transmit the same code as their standard-precision signal; however each transmits on a different frequency using a 15-channel
frequency-division multiple access Frequency-division multiple access (FDMA) is a channel access method used in some multiple-access protocols. FDMA allows multiple users to send data through a single communication channel, such as a coaxial cable or microwave beam, by dividing ...
(FDMA) technique spanning either side from 1602.0
MHz The hertz (symbol: Hz) is the unit of frequency in the International System of Units (SI), equivalent to one event (or cycle) per second. The hertz is an SI derived unit whose expression in terms of SI base units is s−1, meaning that one he ...
, known as the L1 band. The center frequency is 1602 MHz + ''n'' × 0.5625 MHz, where ''n'' is a satellite's frequency channel number (''n''=−6,...,0,...,6, previously ''n''=0,...,13). Signals are transmitted in a 38° cone, using right-hand
circular polarization In electrodynamics, circular polarization of an electromagnetic wave is a polarization state in which, at each point, the electromagnetic field of the wave has a constant magnitude and is rotating at a constant rate in a plane perpendicular to ...
, at an
EIRP Effective radiated power (ERP), synonymous with equivalent radiated power, is an IEEE standardized definition of directional radio frequency (RF) power, such as that emitted by a radio transmitter. It is the total power in watts that would hav ...
between 25 and 27 dBW (316 to 500 watts). Note that the 24-satellite constellation is accommodated with only 15 channels by using identical frequency channels to support antipodal (opposite side of planet in orbit) satellite pairs, as these satellites are never both in view of an Earth-based user at the same time. The L2 band signals use the same FDMA as the L1 band signals, but transmit straddling 1246 MHz with the center frequency 1246 MHz + ''n'' × 0.4375 MHz, where ''n'' spans the same range as for L1.GLONASS transmitter specs In the original GLONASS design, only obfuscated high-precision signal was broadcast in the L2 band, but starting with GLONASS-M, an additional civil reference signal L2OF is broadcast with an identical standard-precision code to the L1OF signal. The open standard-precision signal is generated with modulo-2 addition (XOR) of 511 kbit/s pseudo-random ranging code, 50 bit/s navigation message, and an auxiliary 100 Hz
meander A meander is one of a series of regular sinuous curves in the channel of a river or other watercourse. It is produced as a watercourse erodes the sediments of an outer, concave bank ( cut bank) and deposits sediments on an inner, convex ba ...
sequence ( Manchester code), all generated using a single time/frequency oscillator. The pseudo-random code is generated with a 9-stage shift register operating with a period of 1 milliseconds. The navigational message is modulated at 50 bits per second. The superframe of the open signal is 7500 bits long and consists of 5 frames of 30 seconds, taking 150 seconds (2.5 minutes) to transmit the continuous message. Each frame is 1500 bits long and consists of 15 strings of 100 bits (2 seconds for each string), with 85 bits (1.7 seconds) for data and check-sum bits, and 15 bits (0.3 seconds) for time mark. Strings 1-4 provide immediate data for the transmitting satellite, and are repeated every frame; the data include ephemeris, clock and frequency offsets, and satellite status. Strings 5-15 provide non-immediate data (i.e.
almanac An almanac (also spelled ''almanack'' and ''almanach'') is an annual publication listing a set of current information about one or multiple subjects. It includes information like weather forecasts, farmers' planting dates, tide tables, and othe ...
) for each satellite in the constellation, with frames I-IV each describing five satellites, and frame V describing remaining four satellites. The ephemerides are updated every 30 minutes using data from the Ground Control segment; they use Earth Centred Earth Fixed (ECEF) Cartesian coordinates in position and velocity, and include lunisolar acceleration parameters. The almanac uses modified orbital elements (Keplerian elements) and is updated daily. The more accurate high-precision signal is available for authorized users, such as the Russian military, yet unlike the United States P(Y) code, which is modulated by an encrypting W code, the GLONASS restricted-use codes are broadcast in the clear using only ''
security through obscurity Security through obscurity (or security by obscurity) is the reliance in security engineering on design or implementation secrecy as the main method of providing security to a system or component. History An early opponent of security through o ...
''. The details of the high-precision signal have not been disclosed. The modulation (and therefore the tracking strategy) of the data bits on the L2SF code has recently changed from unmodulated to 250 bit/s burst at random intervals. The L1SF code is modulated by the navigation data at 50 bit/s without a Manchester meander code. The high-precision signal is broadcast in phase quadrature with the standard-precision signal, effectively sharing the same carrier wave, but with a ten-times-higher bandwidth than the open signal. The message format of the high-precision signal remains unpublished, although attempts at reverse-engineering indicate that the superframe is composed of 72 frames, each containing 5 strings of 100 bits and taking 10 seconds to transmit, with total length of 36 000 bits or 720 seconds (12 minutes) for the whole navigational message. The additional data are seemingly allocated to critical
Lunisolar A lunisolar calendar is a calendar in many cultures, combining lunar calendars and solar calendars. The date of Lunisolar calendars therefore indicates both the Moon phase and the time of the solar year, that is the position of the Sun in the E ...
acceleration parameters and clock correction terms.


= Accuracy

= At peak efficiency, the standard-precision signal offers horizontal positioning accuracy within 5–10 metres, vertical positioning within , a velocity vector measuring within , and timing within 200
nanosecond A nanosecond (ns) is a unit of time in the International System of Units (SI) equal to one billionth of a second, that is, of a second, or 10 seconds. The term combines the SI prefix ''nano-'' indicating a 1 billionth submultiple of an SI unit ( ...
s, all based on measurements from four first-generation satellites simultaneously;"A Review of GLONASS" Miller, 2000 newer satellites such as GLONASS-M improve on this. GLONASS uses a coordinate
datum In the pursuit of knowledge, data (; ) is a collection of discrete values that convey information, describing quantity, quality, fact, statistics, other basic units of meaning, or simply sequences of symbols that may be further interpreted. ...
named " PZ-90" (Earth Parameters 1990 – Parametry Zemli 1990), in which the precise location of the
North Pole The North Pole, also known as the Geographic North Pole or Terrestrial North Pole, is the point in the Northern Hemisphere where the Earth's rotation, Earth's axis of rotation meets its surface. It is called the True North Pole to distingu ...
is given as an average of its position from 1990 to 1995. This is in contrast to the GPS's coordinate datum,
WGS 84 The World Geodetic System (WGS) is a standard used in cartography, geodesy, and satellite navigation including GPS. The current version, WGS 84, defines an Earth-centered, Earth-fixed coordinate system and a geodetic datum, and also descri ...
, which uses the location of the North Pole in 1984. As of 17 September 2007, the PZ-90 datum has been updated to version PZ-90.02 which differ from WGS 84 by less than in any given direction. Since 31 December 2013, version PZ-90.11 is being broadcast, which is aligned to the
International Terrestrial Reference System and Frame The International Terrestrial Reference System (ITRS) describes procedures for creating reference frames suitable for use with measurements on or near the Earth's surface. This is done in much the same way that a physical standard might be descri ...
2008 at epoch 2011.0 at the centimetre level, but ideally a conversion to ITRF2008 should be done.National Reference Systems of the Russian Federation used in GLONASS.
V. Vdovin and M. Vinogradova (TSNIImash), 8th ICG meeting, Dubai, November 2013


CDMA

Since 2008, new
CDMA Code-division multiple access (CDMA) is a channel access method used by various radio communication technologies. CDMA is an example of multiple access, where several transmitters can send information simultaneously over a single communicatio ...
signals are being researched for use with GLONASS.GLONASS Status and Progress
, S.G.Revnivykh, 47th CGSIC Meeting, 2007. "L1CR and L5R CDMA interoperable with GPS and Galileo"
GLONASS Status and Development
G.Stupak, 5th ICG Meeting
Russia's First GLONASS-K In Orbit, CDMA Signals Coming
''
Inside GNSS ''Inside GNSS'' (IG) is an international controlled circulation trade magazine and website owned by Gibbons Media and Research LLC. It covers space-based positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) technology for engineers, designers, and policy-mak ...
'' (2011-02-26) Retrieved on 6 October 2011
GLONASS Status and Modernization
Ekaterina Oleynik, Sergey Revnivykh, 51st CGSIG Meeting, September 2011
GLONASS Status and Modernization
Sergey Revnivykh, 6th ICG Meeting, September 2011
GLONASS Status and Modernization
Sergey Revnivykh, 7th ICG Meeting, November 2012
GLONASS Government Policy, Status and Modernization Plans
, Tatiana Mirgorodskaya, IGNSS-2013, 16 July 2013
The interface control documents for GLONASS CDMA signals was published in August 2016.Russian Space Systems JSC - GLONASS Interface Control Documents
(in Russian)
According to GLONASS developers, there will be three open and two restricted CDMA signals. The open signal L3OC is centered at 1202.025 MHz and uses BPSK(10) modulation for both data and pilot channels; the ranging code transmits at 10.23 million
chips ''CHiPs'' is an American crime drama television series created by Rick Rosner and originally aired on NBC from September 15, 1977, to May 1, 1983. It follows the lives of two motorcycle officers of the California Highway Patrol (CHP). The seri ...
per second, modulated onto the carrier frequency using QPSK with in-phase data and quadrature pilot. The data is error-coded with 5-bit
Barker code In telecommunication technology, a Barker code, or Barker sequence, is a finite sequence of digital values with the ideal autocorrelation property. It is used as a synchronising pattern between sender and receiver. Explanation Binary digits ha ...
and the pilot with 10-bit Neuman-Hoffman code. Open L1OC and restricted L1SC signals are centered at 1600.995 MHz, and open L2OC and restricted L2SC signals are centered at 1248.06 MHz, overlapping with GLONASS FDMA signals. Open signals L1OC and L2OC use time-division multiplexing to transmit pilot and data signals, with BPSK(1) modulation for data and BOC(1,1) modulation for pilot; wide-band restricted signals L1SC and L2SC use BOC (5, 2.5) modulation for both data and pilot, transmitted in quadrature phase to the open signals; this places peak signal strength away from the center frequency of narrow-band open signals.GLONASS Modernization
Yuri Urlichich, Valery Subbotin, Grigory Stupak, Vyacheslav Dvorkin, Alexander Povalyaev, Sergey Karutin, and Rudolf Bakitko, Russian Space Systems, GPS World, November 2011
Binary phase-shift keying (BPSK) is used by standard GPS and GLONASS signals.
Binary offset carrier Binary offset carrier modulation (BOC modulation) was developed by John Betz in order to allow interoperability of satellite navigation systems. It is currently used in the US GPS system, Indian IRNSS system and in Galileo and is a square sub-car ...
(BOC) is the modulation used by Galileo, modernized GPS, and BeiDou-2. The navigational message of CDMA signals is transmitted as a sequence of text strings. The message has variable size - each pseudo-frame usually includes six strings and contains
ephemerides In astronomy and celestial navigation, an ephemeris (pl. ephemerides; ) is a book with tables that gives the trajectory of naturally occurring astronomical objects as well as artificial satellites in the sky, i.e., the position (and possibly ...
for the current satellite (string types 10, 11, and 12 in a sequence) and part of the almanac for three satellites (three strings of type 20). To transmit the full almanac for all current 24 satellites, a superframe of 8 pseudo-frames is required. In the future, the superframe will be expanded to 10 pseudo-frames of data to cover full 30 satellites. The message can also contain Earth's rotation parameters, ionosphere models, long-term orbit parameters for GLONASS satellites, and
COSPAS-SARSAT The International Cospas-Sarsat Programme is a satellite-aided search and rescue (SAR) initiative. It is organized as a treaty-based, nonprofit, intergovernmental, humanitarian cooperative of 45 nations and agencies (see infobox). It is dedi ...
messages. The system time marker is transmitted with each string; UTC leap second correction is achieved by shortening or lengthening (zero-padding) the final string of the day by one second, with abnormal strings being discarded by the receiver.GLONASS: Developing Strategies for the Future
Yuri Urlichich, Valeriy Subbotin, Grigory Stupak, Vyacheslav Dvorkin, Alexander Povalyaev, and Sergey Karutin. GPS World, November 2011
The strings have a version tag to facilitate
forward compatibility Forward compatibility or upward compatibility is a design characteristic that allows a system to accept input intended for a later version of itself. The concept can be applied to entire systems, electrical interfaces, telecommunication signals, ...
: future upgrades to the message format will not break older equipment, which will continue to work by ignoring new data (as long as the constellation still transmits old string types), but up-to-date equipment will be able to use additional information from newer satellites.New Structure for GLONASS Nav Message
, Alexander Povalyaev, GPS World, 2 November 2013
The navigational message of the L3OC signal is transmitted at 100 bit/s, with each string of symbols taking 3 seconds (300 bits). A pseudo-frame of 6 strings takes 18 seconds (1800 bits) to transmit. A superframe of 8 pseudo-frames is 14,400 bits long and takes 144 seconds (2 minutes 24 seconds) to transmit the full almanac. The navigational message of the L1OC signal is transmitted at 100 bit/s. The string is 250 bits long and takes 2.5 seconds to transmit. A pseudo-frame is 1500 bits (15 seconds) long, and a superframe is 12,000 bits or 120 seconds (2 minutes). L2OC signal does not transmit any navigational message, only the pseudo-range codes:
Glonass-K1 test satellite launched in 2011 introduced L3OC signal. Glonass-M satellites produced since 2014 (s/n 755+) will also transmit L3OC signal for testing purposes. Enhanced Glonass-K1 and
Glonass-K2 GLONASS-K2 is the next satellite design intended to support the Russian GLONASS radio-based satellite navigation system. Developed by ISS Reshetnev (Reshetnev Information Satellite Systems), the first satellite is expected to be launched in 2023 ...
satellites, to be launched from 2023, will feature a full suite of modernized CDMA signals in the existing L1 and L2 bands, which includes L1SC, L1OC, L2SC, and L2OC, as well as the L3OC signal. Glonass-K2 series should gradually replace existing satellites starting from 2023, when Glonass-M launches will cease.GLONASS Program Update
Ivan Revnivykh, Roscosmos, 11th ICG Meeting, November 2016
Glonass-KM satellites will be launched by 2025. Additional open signals are being studied for these satellites, based on frequencies and formats used by existing GPS, Galileo, and Beidou/COMPASS signals: * open signal L1OCM using BOC(1,1) modulation centered at 1575.42 MHz, similar to modernized GPS signal L1C, Galileo signal E1, and Beidou/COMPASS signal B1C; * open signal L5OCM using BPSK(10) modulation centered at 1176.45 MHz, similar to the GPS "Safety of Life" (L5), Galileo signal E5a, and Beidou/COMPASS signal B2a; * open signal L3OCM using BPSK(10) modulation centered at 1207.14 MHz, similar to Galileo signal E5b and Beidou/COMPASS signal B2b. Such an arrangement will allow easier and cheaper implementation of multi-standard
GNSS A satellite navigation or satnav system is a system that uses satellites to provide autonomous geo-spatial positioning. It allows satellite navigation devices to determine their location (longitude, latitude, and altitude/elevation) to high pr ...
receivers. With the introduction of CDMA signals, the constellation will be expanded to 30 active satellites by 2025; this may require eventual deprecation of FDMA signals. The new satellites will be deployed into three additional planes, bringing the total to six planes from the current three—aided by System for Differential Correction and Monitoring ( SDCM), which is a GNSS augmentation system based on a network of ground-based control stations and communication satellites
Luch 5A Luch 5A ( meaning ''ray'' and sometimes transliterated as Loutch-5A) is a Russian Luch relay satellite which transmits data from the Russian Orbital Segment of the International Space Station, and from other satellites in low Earth orbit. It is ...
and
Luch 5B Luch 5B ( meaning ''ray'' and sometimes transliterated as Loutch-5B) is a Russian Luch relay satellite which transmits data from the Russian Orbital Segment of the International Space Station, and from other satellites in low Earth orbit. It is ...
.SDCM status and plans
Grigory Stupak, 7th ICG Meeting, November 2012
Six additional Glonass-V satellites, using
Tundra orbit A Tundra orbit (russian: орбита «Тундра») is a highly elliptical geosynchronous orbit with a high inclination (approximately 63.4°), an orbital period of one sidereal day, and a typical eccentricity between 0.2 and 0.3. A satelli ...
in three orbital planes, will be launched starting in 2025; this regional high-orbit segment will offer increased regional availability and 25% improvement in precision over Eastern Hemisphere, similar to Japanese
QZSS The Quasi-Zenith Satellite System (QZSS), also known as , is a four-satellite regional time transfer system and a satellite-based augmentation system developed by the Japanese government to enhance the United States-operated Global Position ...
system and Beidou-1. The new satellites will form two ground traces with inclination of 64.8°, eccentricity of 0.072, period of 23.9 hours, and ascending node longitude of 60° and 120°. Glonass-V vehicles are based on Glonass-K platform and will broadcast new CDMA signals only. Previously
Molniya orbit A Molniya orbit ( rus, Молния, p=ˈmolnʲɪjə, a=Ru-молния.ogg, "Lightning") is a type of satellite orbit designed to provide communications and remote sensing coverage over high latitudes. It is a highly elliptical orbit with an ...
, geosynchronous orbit, or
inclined orbit A satellite is said to occupy an inclined orbit around Earth if the orbit exhibits an angle other than 0° to the equatorial plane. This angle is called the orbit's inclination. A planet is said to have an inclined orbit around the Sun if it has an ...
were also under consideration for the regional segment.


Navigational message


L1OC


L3OC


Common properties of open CDMA signals


Satellites

The main contractor of the GLONASS program is Joint Stock Company
Information Satellite Systems Reshetnev JSC Information Satellite Systems Reshetnev (russian: Информационные спутниковые системы имени академика М. Ф. Решетнёва, Informatsionnye sputnikovye systemy imeny akademika M. F. Reshetnyov ...
(ISS Reshetnev, formerly called NPO-PM). The company, located in Zheleznogorsk, is the designer of all GLONASS satellites, in cooperation with the Institute for Space Device Engineering ( :ru:РНИИ КП) and the Russian Institute of Radio Navigation and Time. Serial production of the satellites is accomplished by the company
Production Corporation Polyot Production Association Polyot (russian: Производственное объединение «Полёт», , flying, flight) is a Russian aerospace engineering state corporation best known for being the manufacturer of GLONASS satellites and ...
in Omsk. Over the three decades of development, the satellite designs have gone through numerous improvements, and can be divided into three generations: the original GLONASS (since 1982), GLONASS-M (since 2003) and GLONASS-K (since 2011). Each GLONASS satellite has a GRAU designation 11F654, and each of them also has the military "Cosmos-NNNN" designation.


First generation

The true first generation of GLONASS (also called Uragan) satellites were all three-axis stabilized vehicles, generally weighing and were equipped with a modest propulsion system to permit relocation within the constellation. Over time they were upgraded to Block IIa, IIb, and IIv vehicles, with each block containing evolutionary improvements. Six Block IIa satellites were launched in 1985–1986 with improved time and frequency standards over the prototypes, and increased frequency stability. These spacecraft also demonstrated a 16-month average operational lifetime. Block IIb spacecraft, with a two-year design lifetimes, appeared in 1987, of which a total of 12 were launched, but half were lost in launch vehicle accidents. The six spacecraft that made it to orbit worked well, operating for an average of nearly 22 months. Block IIv was the most prolific of the first generation. Used exclusively from 1988 to 2000, and continued to be included in launches through 2005, a total of 56 satellites were launched. The design life was three years, however numerous spacecraft exceeded this, with one late model lasting 68 months, nearly double. Block II satellites were typically launched three at a time from the Baikonur Cosmodrome using
Proton-K The Proton-K, also designated Proton 8K82K after its GRAU index or SL-12 after its model number, 8K82K, was a Russian, previously Soviet, carrier rocket derived from the earlier Proton. It was built by Khrunichev, and launched from sites 81 an ...
Blok-DM2 or Proton-K
Briz-M The Briz-K, Briz-KM and Briz-M (russian: Бриз-К, КM and M meaning ''Breeze-K, KM and M'') are Russian liquid-propellant rocket orbit insertion upper stages manufactured by Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center and used ...
boosters. The only exception was when, on two launches, an Etalon geodetic reflector satellite was substituted for a GLONASS satellite.


Second generation

The second generation of satellites, known as
Glonass-M GLONASS-M (russian: link=no, ГЛОНАСС-М), also known as Uragan-M (russian: link=no, Ураган-М) (GRAU index 11F654M given to the first two pilot satellites and 14F113 to the rest) are the second generation of Uragan satellite design u ...
, were developed beginning in 1990 and first launched in 2003. These satellites possess a substantially increased lifetime of seven years and weigh slightly more at . They are approximately in diameter and high, with a solar array span of for an electrical power generation capability of 1600 watts at launch. The aft payload structure houses 12 primary antennas for L-band transmissions. Laser corner-cube reflectors are also carried to aid in precise orbit determination and geodetic research. On-board cesium clocks provide the local clock source. 52 Glonass-M have been produced and launched. A total of 41 second generation satellites were launched through the end of 2013. As with the previous generation, the second generation spacecraft were launched three at a time using
Proton-K The Proton-K, also designated Proton 8K82K after its GRAU index or SL-12 after its model number, 8K82K, was a Russian, previously Soviet, carrier rocket derived from the earlier Proton. It was built by Khrunichev, and launched from sites 81 an ...
Blok-DM2 or Proton-K Briz-M boosters. Some were launched alone with Soyuz-2-1b/
Fregat Fregat (russian: Фрегат, ''frigate'') is an upper stage developed by NPO Lavochkin in the 1990s, which is used in some Soyuz and Zenit launch vehicles, but is universal and can be used as a part of a medium and heavy class launch vehic ...
. On 30 July 2015,
ISS Reshetnev JSC Information Satellite Systems Reshetnev (russian: Информационные спутниковые системы имени академика М. Ф. Решетнёва, Informatsionnye sputnikovye systemy imeny akademika M. F. Reshetnyov ...
announced that it had completed the last GLONASS-M (No. 61) spacecraft and it was putting it in storage waiting for launch, along with eight previously built satellites. As on 22 September 2017, GLONASS-M No.52 satellite went into operation and the orbital grouping has again increased to 24 space vehicles.


Third generation

GLONASS-K is a substantial improvement of the previous generation: it is the first unpressurised GLONASS satellite with a much reduced mass of versus the of GLONASS-M. It has an operational lifetime of 10 years, compared to the 7-year lifetime of the second generation GLONASS-M. It will transmit more navigation signals to improve the system's accuracy — including new CDMA signals in the L3 and L5 bands, which will use modulation similar to modernized GPS, Galileo, and BeiDou. Glonass-K consist of 26 satellites having satellite index 65-98 and widely used in Russian Military space. The new satellite's advanced equipment—made solely from Russian components — will allow the doubling of GLONASS' accuracy. As with the previous satellites, these are 3-axis stabilized,
nadir The nadir (, ; ar, نظير, naẓīr, counterpart) is the direction pointing directly ''below'' a particular location; that is, it is one of two vertical directions at a specified location, orthogonal to a horizontal flat surface. The direc ...
pointing with dual solar arrays. The first GLONASS-K satellite was successfully launched on 26 February 2011. Due to their weight reduction, GLONASS-K spacecraft can be launched in pairs from the
Plesetsk Cosmodrome Plesetsk Cosmodrome ( rus, Космодром «Плесецк», r=Kosmodrom "Plesetsk", p=kəsmɐˈdrom plʲɪˈsʲet͡sk) is a Russian spaceport located in Mirny, Arkhangelsk Oblast, about 800 km north of Moscow and approximately 200 ...
launch site using the substantially lower cost
Soyuz-2.1b Soyuz-2 (GRAU index 14A14) is a modernized version of the Soviet Soyuz rocket. In its basic form, it is a three-stage launch vehicle for placing payloads into low Earth orbit. Compared to the previous versions of the Soyuz, the first-stage bo ...
boosters or in six-at-once from the Baikonur Cosmodrome using Proton-K Briz-M launch vehicles.


Ground control

The ground control segment of GLONASS is almost entirely located within former Soviet Union territory, except for several in Brazil and one in Nicaragua. The GLONASS ground segment consists of: * a system control centre; * five Telemetry, Tracking and Command centers; * two Laser Ranging Stations; and * ten Monitoring and Measuring Stations.


Receivers

Companies producing GNSS receivers making use of GLONASS: * Furuno * JAVAD GNSS, Inc *
Septentrio Septentrio N.V. is a designer and manufacturer of high-end multi-frequency GNSS receivers. Its main target is to provide GNSS receiver boards and modules for further system integration by Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs). Septentrio's co ...
*
Topcon is a Japanese manufacturer of optical equipment for ophthalmology and surveying. History September 1932—TOPCON was established based on the surveying instruments division of K. Hattori & Co., Ltd. (currently SEIKO HOLDINGS CORPORATION) in o ...
* C-Nav *
Magellan Navigation Magellan Navigation, Inc. is an American producer of consumer and professional grade global positioning system receivers, named after Ferdinand Magellan, the first explorer to circumnavigate the globe. Headquartered in San Dimas, California, with E ...
* Novatel * ComNav technology Ltd. *
Leica Geosystems Leica Geosystems (formerly known as Wild Heerbrugg or just Wild) based in eastern Switzerland produces products and systems for surveying and geographical measurement (geomatics). Its products employ a variety of technologies including GPS sa ...
* Hemisphere GNSS *
Trimble Inc Trimble Inc. is an American software, hardware, and services technology company. Trimble supports global industries in building & construction, agriculture, geospatial, natural resources and utilities, governments, transportation and others. Trim ...
*
u-blox u-blox is a Swiss company that creates wireless semiconductors and modules for consumer, automotive and industrial markets. They operate as a fabless IC and design house. They acquired a dozen companies after their IPO in 2007, after acquiring ...
NPO Progress describes a receiver called ''GALS-A1'', which combines GPS and GLONASS reception.
SkyWave Mobile Communications SkyWave Mobile Communications is a global provider of satellite and satellite-cellular devices in the Machine-to-Machine (M2M) market. SkyWave's products allow customers to track, monitor and control industrial vehicles, vessels and industrial e ...
manufactures an Inmarsat-based satellite communications terminal that uses both GLONASS and GPS. , some of the latest receivers in the
Garmin Garmin Ltd. (shortened to Garmin, stylized as GARMIN, and formerly known as ProNav) is an American, Swiss-domiciled multinational technology company founded in 1989 by Gary Burrell and Min Kao in Lenexa, Kansas, United States, with headquarte ...
eTrex line also support GLONASS (along with GPS). Garmin also produce a standalone
Bluetooth Bluetooth is a short-range wireless technology standard that is used for exchanging data between fixed and mobile devices over short distances and building personal area networks (PANs). In the most widely used mode, transmission power is limi ...
receiver, the GLO for Aviation, which combines GPS,
WAAS The Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS) is an air navigation aid developed by the Federal Aviation Administration to augment the Global Positioning System (GPS), with the goal of improving its accuracy, integrity, and availability. Essentia ...
and GLONASS. Various
smartphone A smartphone is a portable computer device that combines mobile telephone and computing functions into one unit. They are distinguished from feature phones by their stronger hardware capabilities and extensive mobile operating systems, whic ...
s from 2011 onwards have integrated GLONASS capability in addition to their pre-existing
GPS The Global Positioning System (GPS), originally Navstar GPS, is a satellite-based radionavigation system owned by the United States government and operated by the United States Space Force. It is one of the global navigation satellite sy ...
receivers, with the intention of reducing signal acquisition periods by allowing the device to pick up more satellites than with a single-network receiver, including devices from: *
Xiaomi Corporation (; ), commonly known as Xiaomi and registered as Xiaomi Inc., is a Chinese designer and manufacturer of consumer electronics and related software, home appliances, and household items. Behind Samsung, it is the second largest m ...
*
Sony Ericsson Sony Mobile Communications Inc. ( ja, ソニーモバイルコミュニケーションズ株式会社) was a multinational telecommunications company founded on October 1, 2001, as a joint venture between Sony Group Corporation and Ericsson. ...
*
ZTE ZTE Corporation is a Chinese partially state-owned technology company that specializes in telecommunication. Founded in 1985, ZTE is listed on both the Hong Kong and Shenzhen Stock Exchanges. ZTE's core business is wireless, exchange, opt ...
*
Huawei Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. ( ; ) is a Chinese multinational technology corporation headquartered in Shenzhen, Guangdong, China. It designs, develops, produces and sells telecommunications equipment, consumer electronics and various smar ...
*
Samsung The Samsung Group (or simply Samsung) ( ko, 삼성 ) is a South Korean multinational manufacturing conglomerate headquartered in Samsung Town, Seoul, South Korea. It comprises numerous affiliated businesses, most of them united under the ...
*
Apple An apple is an edible fruit produced by an apple tree (''Malus domestica''). Apple trees are cultivated worldwide and are the most widely grown species in the genus ''Malus''. The tree originated in Central Asia, where its wild ancestor, ' ...
(since
iPhone 4S The iPhone 4S (originally styled as iPhone 4 S, retroactively stylized with a lowercase 's' as iPhone 4s as of September 2013) is a smartphone that was designed and marketed by Apple Inc. It is the fifth generation of the iPhone, succ ...
) *
HTC HTC Corporation ( zh, t=宏達國際電子股份有限公司, s=宏达国际电子股份有限公司, p=Hóngdá Guójì Diànzǐ Gǔfèn Yǒuxiàn Gōngsī, first=t) or High Tech Computer Corporation, (literally ''Hongda International Electron ...
* LG *
Motorola Motorola, Inc. () was an American multinational telecommunications company based in Schaumburg, Illinois, United States. After having lost $4.3 billion from 2007 to 2009, the company split into two independent public companies, Motorol ...
*
Nokia Nokia Corporation (natively Nokia Oyj, referred to as Nokia) is a Finnish multinational telecommunications, information technology, and consumer electronics corporation, established in 1865. Nokia's main headquarters are in Espoo, Finland, i ...


Status


Availability

, the GLONASS constellation status is: The system requires 18 satellites for continuous navigation services covering all of Russia, and 24 satellites to provide services worldwide.Russia to set world record with 39 space launches in 2009
, RIA Novosti, Retrieved on 29 December 2008
The GLONASS system covers 100% of worldwide territory. On 2 April 2014, the system experienced a technical failure that resulted in practical unavailability of the navigation signal for around 12 hours. On 14–15 April 2014, nine GLONASS satellites experienced a technical failure due to software problems. On 19 February 2016, three GLONASS satellites experienced a technical failure: the batteries of GLONASS-738 exploded, the batteries of GLONASS-737 were depleted, and GLONASS-736 experienced a stationkeeping failure due to human error during maneuvering. GLONASS-737 and GLONASS-736 are expected to be operational again after maintenance, and one new satellite (GLONASS-751) to replace GLONASS-738 is expected to complete commissioning in early March 2016. The full capacity of the satellite group is expected to be restored in the middle of March 2016. After the launching of two new satellites and maintenance of two others, the full capacity of the satellite group was restored.


Accuracy

According to Russian System of Differentional Correction and Monitoring's data, , precision of GLONASS navigation definitions (for p=0.95) for latitude and longitude were with mean number of navigation space vehicles (NSV) equals 7—8 (depending on station). In comparison, the same time precision of GPS
navigation Navigation is a field of study that focuses on the process of monitoring and controlling the movement of a craft or vehicle from one place to another.Bowditch, 2003:799. The field of navigation includes four general categories: land navigation, ...
definitions were with mean number of NSV equals 6—11 (depending on station). Some modern receivers are able to use both GLONASS and GPS satellites together, providing greatly improved coverage in urban canyons and giving a very fast time to fix due to over 50 satellites being available. In indoor, urban canyon or mountainous areas, accuracy can be greatly improved over using GPS alone. For using both navigation systems simultaneously, precision of GLONASS/GPS navigation definitions were with mean number of NSV equals 14—19 (depends on station). In May 2009,
Anatoly Perminov Anatoly Nikolayevich Perminov (russian: Анатолий Николаевич Перминов; born 16 June 1945) is a Russian rocket scientist and a mechanical engineer. He served as the General Director of Russian Federal Space Agency in 2004 ...
, then director of the
Roscosmos The State Space Corporation "Roscosmos" (russian: Государственная корпорация по космической деятельности «Роскосмос»), commonly known simply as Roscosmos (russian: Роскосмос) ...
, stated that actions were undertaken to expand GLONASS's constellation and to improve the
ground segment A ground segment consists of all the ground-based elements of a space system used by operators and support personnel, as opposed to the space segment and user segment. The ground segment enables management of a spacecraft, and distribution of pay ...
to increase the navigation definition of GLONASS to an accuracy of by 2011. In particular, the latest satellite design,
GLONASS-K GLONASS-K is the latest satellite design intended as a part of the Russian GLONASS radio-based satellite navigation system. Developed by Information Satellite Systems Reshetnev, ISS Reshetnev (Information Satellite Systems Reshetnev) and first ...
has the ability to double the system's accuracy once introduced. The system's ground segment is also to undergo improvements. As of early 2012, sixteen positioning ground stations are under construction in
Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is the largest country in the world, with its internationally recognised territory covering , and encompassing one-eig ...
and in the Antarctic at the
Bellingshausen Bellingshausen may refer to: * Fabian Gottlieb von Bellingshausen (1778–1852), Baltic German explorer and officer in the Russian navy, after whom are named: ** Bellingshausen Plate, a tectonic plate ** Bellingshausen Sea, off the Antarctic Penins ...
and
Novolazarevskaya Novolazarevskaya Station (russian: Станция Новолазаревская) is a Russian, formerly Soviet, Antarctic research station. The station is located at Schirmacher Oasis, Queen Maud Land, from the Antarctic coast, from which it i ...
bases. New stations will be built around the southern hemisphere from
Brazil Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...
to
Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Guine ...
. Together, these improvements are expected to bring GLONASS' accuracy to 0.6 m or better by 2020. The setup of a GLONASS receiving station in the
Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...
is also now under negotiation.


History


See also

*
Aviaconversiya Aviaconversiya (russian: ООО Авиаконверсия) is a Russian manufacturer of surface-based electronic countermeasures products, namely satellite navigation systems deceivers. Oleg Antonov is the director of the company. Aviaconversiya ...
– a Russian satellite navigation firm *
BeiDou The BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS; ) is a Chinese satellite navigation system. It consists of two separate satellite constellations. The first BeiDou system, officially called the BeiDou Satellite Navigation Experimental System and ...
– Chinese counterpart *
Era-glonass Emergency response systems are means for emergency response teams to locate and move resources to emergency sites. The Russian Federation ERA-GLONASS is the modern Russian system of emergency response, similar to the European standard eCall/ E ...
– GLONASS-based system of emergency response * Galileo – European Union's counterpart *
Global Positioning System The Global Positioning System (GPS), originally Navstar GPS, is a satellite-based radionavigation system owned by the United States government and operated by the United States Space Force. It is one of the global navigation satellite sy ...
- American counterpart *
List of GLONASS satellites , 144 GLONASS navigation satellites have been launched, of which 132 reached the correct orbit and 23 are currently operational. Satellites GC number (Ground Control number, Russian: системный номер, номер по наземн ...
*
Multilateration Trilateration is the use of distances (or "ranges") for determining the unknown position coordinates of a point of interest, often around Earth (geopositioning). When more than three distances are involved, it may be called multilateration, for e ...
– the mathematical technique used for positioning *
NAVIC The Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS), with an operational name of NavIC (acronym for 'Navigation with Indian Constellation; also, 'sailor' or 'navigator' in Indian languages), is an autonomous regional satellite navigation s ...
– Indian counterpart *
Tsikada Tsikada (russian: Цикада meaning ''cicada''), was a Soviet satellite navigation system including ten Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites. It transmits the same two carrier frequencies as the U.S. TRANSIT satellite system.Bernhard Hofmann-Well ...
– a Russian satellite navigation system


Notes


References


Standards

* * * * *


Bibliography


''GLONASS Interface Control Document'', Edition 5.1, 2008backup

''GLONASS Interface Control Document'', Version 4.0, 1998
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *


External links


Official GLONASS web page
{{Russian space program Navigation satellite constellations Space program of Russia Space program of the Soviet Union Soviet inventions Wireless locating Earth observation satellites of the Soviet Union Military equipment introduced in the 1980s