MOSCOW, December 25 (RIA Novosti) - Russia launched a Proton-K carrier rocket with three satellites from the Baikonur space center in Kazakhstan at 8:07 a.m. Moscow time (5:07 a.m. GMT) to expand its global navigation satellite system GLONASS, the Russian Space Agency (Roskosmos) said Sunday.
According to Roskosmos, the carrier rocket was launched in accordance with the schedule. The new satellites have a seven-year service life. They are expected to be delivered into orbit at 11:39 a.m. Moscow time (8:39 a.m. GMT).
Under the federal space program approved by the government, the GLONASS satellite group will be expanded to at least 18 satellites by 2007. Currently, the system includes 14 satellites in orbit.
The main purpose of the GLONASS network is to provide global positioning services for various military and civilian customers.
