Global Positioning System Reference
In-Depth Information
On August 20, 2001, the Russian government passed Decree Number 587 enti-
tled “Federal Dedicated Program (FTsP) Global Navigation System—2002-2011.”
This decree established a 10-year program to rebuild the GLONASS program. The
program has a dedicated funding line in the Russian budget and is subject to Rus-
sian Parliamentary oversight. GLONASS is one of approximately 50 Russian pro-
grams, and the only Russian space program that receives this level of attention
within the budgetary process. The GLONASS FTsP is a comprehensive program
designed to fund the space segment, ground segment, user segment, user equipment
manufacturing industry, transportation applications industry, and geodetic appli-
cations industry. Specifically, under the program, the GLONASS constellation will
be replenished with 10-12 modernized GLONASS-M spacecraft and 18-27 new
lightweight GLONASS-K spacecraft. The first visible fruits of this program came
with the successful launch of a GLONASS-M satellite in late 2003. However, the
long-term viability of GLONASS depends on successful transition to GLONASS-K
in the 2008 time frame [8-12].
As of mid-2005, there had been 31 successful launches (2 launch vehicle fail-
ures) in the program, placing in orbit a total of 81 GLONASS satellites, 2
GLONASS-M satellites, 2 Etalon passive geodetic satellites, and 8 ballast payloads.
(Ballast payloads are used to balance the payload if fewer than 3 satellites are
launched.)
11.1.3 Organizational Structure
At the time of this writing, the Russian Ministry of Defense and the Russian Space
Agency had jointly managed the GLONASS program since approximately 2002.
The Russians have established an organization called the Interagency GLONASS
Coordination Board (IGCB) to develop Russian national policy and facilitate inter-
national cooperation. The IGCB is similar in mission and structure to the U.S. Inter-
agency GPS Executive Board (IGEB) established from 1996 through 2005. As of
2005, the Russians have not responded with similar changes in GLONASS manage-
ment that correspond to U.S. government's expansion of GPS management from the
IGEB to the GPS Executive Committee.
Prior to establishment of the IGCB, the Russian Ministry of Defense was both
the principal user and owner of GLONASS. Within the Ministry of Defense, respon-
sibility for GLONASS policy and operation fell under the Military Space Forces
(VKS). GLONASS responsibility was further delegated within the VKS to the State
Department of Space Means (GUKOS). GUKOS approved all GLONASS-related
policies prior to 1999. GUKOS had management responsibility in the following
areas: (1) system control center, (2) master system time clock, (3) command and
tracking stations, (4) laser tracking stations, and (5) GLONASS Coordinating
Scientific Information Center (CSIC) [1].
11.1.4 Constellation and Orbit
The GLONASS constellation will consist of 21 active satellites plus 3 active
on-orbit spares. A depiction of the constellation is provided in Figure 11.1. The 24
satellites will be uniformly located in three orbital planes 120
°
apart in right ascen-
 
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