A Soyuz-2.1b carrier rocket is ready for the launch of the GLONASS-M spacecraft scheduled for June 14, Col. Alexei Zolotukhin, a spokesman for Russia’s Aerospace Defense Forces, said Tuesday.
Technological operations to assemble the Soyuz rocket have just been completed at the Plesetsk Space Center in northern Russia’s Arkhangelsk region, Zolotukhin said.
Operators have completed the assembly of the fourth stage consisting of a Fregat booster and GLONASS spacecraft and the docking with the Soyuz-2.1b rocket, Zolotukhin said. The decision on the date of the launch is expected to be announced Wednesday.
The Global Navigation Satellite System, which came online in 1993, is a Russian equivalent to the US Global Positioning System (GPS). The GLONASS network provides real-time positioning and speed data for land, sea and airborne receivers.
Quelle: RIA NOVOSTI
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Update: 13.06.2014
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Russian Soyuz-2.1b rocket to undergo final testing
Russia's Aerospace Defense Forces proceeded to the final cycle of prelaunch tests of Soyuz-2.1b carrier rocket, installed onto the Plesetsk State Testing Cosmodrome, spokesman for Russiaa's Aerospace Defense Forces Colonel Alexei Zolotukhin told RIA Novosti.
"On Thursday, June 12, Plesetsk Cosmodrome specialists rolled out Soyuz-2.1b carrier rocket onto the launch pad a?? 43, where personnel will accomplish testing of carrier rocket systems and launching equipment," he said. Soyuz-2.1b carrier rocket is to launch GLONASS-M satellites into orbit on June 14. The Soyuz-2.1b modernized booster was designed according to the Russian technology, from materials manufactured in Russia.
The rocket differs from all previous models in its digital control system, which significantly increases the accuracy of orbiting over a point on the Earth. Plesetsk has been the site of Russia's GLONASS satellite launches since February 26, 2011, when the first new generation GLONASS-K spacecraft was launched into orbit by a Soyuz-2.1 medium booster. Until that time, all launches of GLONASS-K satellites were carried out on Proton rockets from the Baikonur Cosmodrome.
GLONASS (Global Navigation Satellite System) is the Russian equivalent to the US Global Positioning System (GPS). The GLONASS network provides real-time positioning and speed data for land, sea and airborne receivers.
Quelle: RIA NOVOSTI
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Update: 14.06.2014
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Soyuz-2.1b rocket with the Glonass-M satellite onboard will blast off from Plesetsk
A Soyuz-2.1b carrier rocket with the Glonass-M satellite onboard will blast off from Plesetsk space launch facility at 21:17 Moscow time on Saturday.
“The Soyuz 2.1b carrier rocket with the Frigate booster and Glonass-M navigation space satellite will be launched by a combat crew of the Russian Aerospace Defence Forces, an official spokesperson for the Russian Aerospace Defence Forces, told Itar-Tass on Saturday.
The satellite is expected to reach the calculated orbit at 00:53 Moscow time on June 15.
GLONASS is a Russian navigation system. Its orbital grouping consists of 29 satellites of which 24 are used according to the intended purpose.
The Soyuz -2.1b rocket is a modification of the Soyuz-2 carrier rocket. It has a modernized engine and better controllability.
Quelle: ITARTASS
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Russian Soyuz-2.1b carrier rocket to send second GLONASS-M satellite into orbit
A Soyuz-2.1b carrier rocket with the Fregat space tug is to blast off Saturday from a launch pad at Plesetsk Cosmodrome in northern Russia's Arkhangelsk region and put into orbit second GLONASS-M satellite in 2014.
On June 11 the rocket was rolled out onto the Plesetsk State Testing Cosmodrome where it underwent the final cycle of prelaunch tests and was finally approved for the scheduled June 14 launch.
This will be the second launch of GLONASS-M satellite this year and the fourth time when it was sent to orbit from Plesetsk.
All assembly operations were completed June 10.
The operators finished the assembly of the fourth stage consisting of the Fregat booster and GLONASS spacecraft and its docking with the Soyuz-2.1b rocket.
The Soyuz-2.1b modernized rocket was designed according to Russian technology using materials manufactured in Russia.
The rocket differs from all previous models in its digital control system, which helps adjust its heading in flight more accurately.
Plesetsk has been the site of Russia's GLONASS satellite launches since February 26, 2011, when the first new generation GLONASS-K spacecraft was orbited by Soyuz-2.1 medium booster.
Until that time, all GLONASS-K satellites were launched on Proton rockets from Baikonur Cosmodrome.
