Russia launches three GLONASS navigation satellites

It's a bit behind schedule, but Russia's GPS-challenging GLONASS satellite navigation looks to have just taken a fairly big step forward, with three satellites now on their way into orbit after hitching a ride on a Proton-K booster rocket that blasted off from Baikonur, Kazakhstan earlier today. According to Reuters, this is also the first launch of a Proton-K rocket since launches were suspended in September, after a booster failed and spilled highly toxic fuel into the Kazakh countryside. No word if Russia still expects the entire GLONASS system to be ready by 2009 as it has said earlier, but it has five more satellites to launch by the end of the year if it wants to keep up the pace it set out for itself.

[Photo courtesy of RussiaToday]

[paul34 @ Oct 26th 2007 12:15PM]

I'd say the biggest hurdle to this system is the name. GLONASS is too long.

Oh, and that tiny little thing about spilling highly toxic fuel over many square miles...

[vviz @ Oct 26th 2007 1:29PM]

The name is long-ish but, like GPS stands for Global Positioning System, GLONASS both in russian and english stands for GLObal NAvigation Satelite System or someting along those lines. Could just as well be shortened to GNSS but pronouncing that will take more time than GLONASS :)

[AlexP @ Oct 26th 2007 12:17PM]

You got it all wrong, that's my phallus in the caption, I mechanically enhanced it so it could defeat the motherland all by itself. The paint scheme is simply to confuse them.

[Kris S. @ Oct 26th 2007 12:34PM]

So, now the Soviets will be able to use GLONASS guided bombs.

shit.

[e-roq @ Oct 26th 2007 12:43PM]

confucious say: man who go to sleep with a itchy GLONASS, wake up smelly finger.

[rv @ Oct 26th 2007 12:39PM]

Very niceee! How much?

[Matthew Hilario @ Oct 26th 2007 12:41PM]

Satellite's orbit abruptly crashes into the United States

More news at 11.

[Magallanes @ Oct 26th 2007 12:44PM]

The photo looks impressible, this rocket seem like more a nuclear one rather a boring gps system.

[Ally @ Oct 26th 2007 12:51PM]

"Here at Russia we like to keep consistency with our *ahem* products"

:P

[Maestro @ Oct 26th 2007 2:01PM]

They should have used the picture of the missle launch from the movie "Spies Like Us".

[aeo @ Oct 26th 2007 12:50PM]

Ah cold war paranoia and sentiments are still warming our hearts. Good times... good times.

[Hollywood Ron @ Oct 26th 2007 12:53PM]

Ahh Russia, your quaint 1950's rocketry never ceases to amuse.

[maciej @ Oct 26th 2007 2:53PM]

Their 'quiant' rocketry was the only thing that sustained the continued operation of the ISS while the Space Shuttle fleet was grounded, after foam brought it to its knees. So a little more respect please.

[Andrew @ Oct 27th 2007 5:50AM]

What a foolish thing to say, the Russian space technology from the 1950s is *still* better than what the US uses in 2007. It's no wonder Russian rockets are widely used. They have simpler designs, but they actually work! Look up Sealaunch if you like. Even the European Space Agency is now considering using Russian launch vehicles in addition to their own *because* of the stability and proven technology.

[paul34 @ Oct 26th 2007 1:05PM]

I will live in Montana. And I will marry a round American woman and raise rabbits, and she will cook them for me. And I will have a pickup truck... maybe even a "recreational vehicle." And drive from state to state. Do they let you do that?

[DorianGray @ Oct 26th 2007 1:57PM]

Nice! Hunt for Red October -- we don't get very many obscure Russian officer quotes around here except crap like "In Soviet Russia, movie quotes *you*!.."

Good show!

[Branko Collin @ Oct 26th 2007 3:00PM]

Heh. So true. From the time when in the USA you could freely go from state to state, and in the USSR you could not.

[Shane @ Oct 26th 2007 1:15PM]

Launch Big Rocket for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan!
For to show our powerful khram!

[Chris @ Oct 26th 2007 1:45PM]

The only points of interest are liquor stores...

i kid... i kid!!!

[John @ Oct 26th 2007 1:45PM]

"My what a large GLO N ASS you have... thank you."

[Magallanes @ Oct 26th 2007 2:33PM]

Or may be a rocket for a mission for Uranus (and yes, it's a planet!).

(very sorry for the pun).

[Bill @ Oct 26th 2007 3:04PM]

(Looks at angle of rocket)

YOU'RE DOING IT WRONG

[Wwhat @ Oct 27th 2007 5:54AM]

Looks like an AA missile to shoot down an a380 airbus in that picture.
(Because they are both big you see)

[Robert McFair @ Oct 26th 2007 3:59PM]

LUV the opening catch "A bit behind schedule..." not ANYTHING like the UBER-GREAT USof A's space endevours. Those slowmotor ruskies! Where would we be if something like the International Space Station had to depend on them? Oh, wait a moment...

[alf @ Oct 26th 2007 4:27PM]

Confucius say, "Rocket launched sideways hit uncle's house in China."

[Shawn @ Oct 26th 2007 11:52PM]

Yeah, you got that one buddy.

Hey, but seriously, that doesn't look like the satellite rockets other countries
, oh say, France makes. That seriously looks like a freakin Scud (or SAM) missile.

I hope the Soviets don't confuse the two...

[Andrew @ Oct 27th 2007 5:59AM]

@Shawn, all "Scud" versions derive from the German V-2 rocket, as were most early American missiles and rockets. The French use the cooperative European "Ariane" launcher system. A very good system if I say so myself. Also I hardly think it looks anything like a SCUD. But then again have a look at the Russian system and tell me what looks more like a weapon..... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Rocket_comparison.png

[Mark Herman @ Oct 26th 2007 4:42PM]

GLONASS? Are you sure it's not GLaDDOS?

I bet there is delicious, moist cake in space.

[Daimyo Nintendo @ Oct 29th 2007 10:30AM]

Russias got to go to the moon man....its fucking sweet!

[RedJim @ Nov 30th 2007 7:23PM]

The Russians may be slow on the uptake of certain technologies ,but when they finally master it they do it bloody well, Thats a lot more than I can say for certain Red white and blue countries who have to rely on fake wars ,so they can steal the technological "BRAINS" to carry on there failing space programs.Warner Von Braun for example.