RSSRussia launches GPS-like satellites on Christmas Day
By Jacqueline Emigh | Published December 26, 2007, 12:34 PM
As an unusual Christmas present to the world, Russia sent the last three of its GPS-compatible GLONASS satellites into space on Tuesday, whose missions range from global military tracking to keeping an eye on civilian-owned pet dogs and cats.
While most nations sat practically still during the traditional late December lull, Russia sent the rest of the world a present on Christmas Day by shooting the last three of its GPS (Global Position System)-compatible GLONASS (Global Navigation Satellite System) satellites into space.
Although the 24 satellites in the GLONASS system will be used mostly by the Russians for military tracking, GLONASS is supposedly interoperable with the United States' GPS -- a navigational and mapping system which is utilized heavily for both military and civilian purposes -- and the still emerging Galileo system of the European Union.
With the expansion of GLONASS, the Russians want to boost the high tech sector of their economy, too -- and it looks as though they'll be adding other civilian applications, as well.
One early enthusiast -- semi-outgoing Russian President Vladimir Putin -- reportedly wants to use GLONASS to spy on the whereabouts of his black Labrador retriever dog, Koni.
The Russian news agency Itar-Tass quoted Putin as asking during a satellite briefing session, "When can I buy hardware to equip my dog with so that she won't run away too far?"
Russian Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov reportedly replied, "Producers will be able to offer collars for dogs and cats of commercial users in mid-2008."
GLONASS already works over most of Russia, providing an instant fix of position once the satellites are located.
But Russia's plans call for global coverage by the end of 2009, after all 28 satellites in the system are fully functional.
GLONASS replaces Tsikada, a previous satellite system launched back in the days of the former Soviet Union. Tsikada took from one to two hours to calculate a position.
GLONASS encountered delays with the floundering of the Russian economy during the late 1990s. But with abundant new government funding, it is now expected to be fully ready ahead of Europe's Galileo.
According to Russian officials, GLONASS will be used mostly alongside the US GPS system.
The US GPS system, however, can be switched off for civilian subscribers by the US government. The US did just that during recent military exercises in Iraq, for example.
The ground control segment of GLONASS is reportedly located entirely within the territory of the former Soviet Union.
I love how a technical article gets turned into a political debate where not even two people can agree on anything.
You can stick four people in a room and pretty soon they are paired up trying to figure out how to destroy each other.
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|Alexq
SUCH a good point!
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|It should be noted that GLONASS is NOT compatible with GPS. A standard GPS receiver can not use the GLONASS system.
Interoperability is on a number of technical details. (http://www.glonass-ianc....joint_statement_eng.pdf)
GLONASS coverage is global, it may be optimized for Russia, but it is global. (See http://SPS850.COM, for a receiver in Silicon Valley, USA that you can see the GLONASS SV's it is tracking) The SV's are in medium earth orbit. The planned constellation is 24 not 28.
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|Present to the world? Somehow I don't feel all that cheerful hearing about military buildup in a country on the brink of fascism.
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|The Russians don't feel very warm and fuzzy about the U.S. wanting to put their missiles in Poland and the Czech Republic, either.
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|What possible reason would we have to launch missiles into Russia? It just wouldn't make sense unless we were provoked by Russia into doing so. What the heck would we blow up? There is nothing in Russia we need...we just need them to not want to blow us up.
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|"U.S. wanting to put their missiles in Poland and the Czech Republic"
Where did you hear such nonsense? US wants to put missile defense system in Poland and Czech Republic to intercept intercontinental ballistic missiles. And russia indeed went crazy over this idea. I guess they don't want to lose an option of launching missiles on Europe when they decide to occupy countries like Poland and Czech Republic again.
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|Oh, nice, you would not mind if Russia put some military installation in canada, then? Just to prevent missiles from polar bears....
How would you know what in fact is built there, what missiles and tracking systems are there?
I am personaly not very anti-US, but the way US acts cannot calm people, just make them nervous.
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Bak to article - IN russia it is illegal to posses a GPS that is more precise then 100 m. Will remain with glossnass, i suppose.
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|Fact is, Russian public opinion was NEVER EVER in favour of starting invasion, or forcing some democracy on people who dont understand it (like US).
Now it is even more, then in soviet time.
With army like nowdays in Russia it will be possible to deflect an attack, but to invade? - No no.
Inspite of building up facism and dictatorship.
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|I don't know where you were in 1962. I was sitting in a U.S. Atlas missile silo in California. I can assure you that things were pretty tense there, when the Soviet Union was trying to place missiles they claimed were "defensive" in nature, on Cuba.
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|If you don't think there is anything in Russia we need, apparently you don't know much about their oil reserves and natural resources.
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|The same was said about Iraq and look how that turned out.
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|"Where do you hear such nonsense?" (Re: U.S. wanting to put missiles in Poland and the Czech Republic)
Then, you say, "US wants to put missile defense system in Poland and Czech Republic to intercept intercontinental ballistic missiles."
Seems to me that with your statement, you merely confirmed the "nonsense" I stated.
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|Yea, that was 1962. In case you haven't looked at a calendar it is a few days shy of 2008. The cold war ended years ago. The Berlin Wall has come down. The former Soviet Union is a bunch of countries now.
The only thing about Russia is their lack of responsibility with their nuclear arsenal. It isn't going to be them that launches something, but some terrorist group who stole one from a storage facility.
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|no it was never public opinion during the cold war because the public could not voice there opinion.!
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|i dont think it has ended. mabey the Russians just put a new face on it. or maby they are running it like the Chinese. one way or another Id rather voice my opinion about the Gov. in the US then in China or Russia. If ya piss Putin off his GOONS will give you radioactive Polonium-210 for Christmas.
Didnt they do things like that in 1962?
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|I believe the only nation to have given a radioactive gift to another nation was the U.S. in 1945.
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|Yes, a few years has passed and the Cold War is over. And, the definition of "invasion" has been changed to "pre-emptive strike," as that sounds so much more noble.
Nope...nothing has changed since 1962, really. The Soviet Union wanted a missile defense system in our back yard and we were opposed. Now, we want one in their back yard and they are opposed. Simple as that.
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|Amen!
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|I really doubt public opinion has anything to do with it.
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|"There is nothing in Russia we need"
You might want to rethink that a bit.
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|Are you seriously suggesting that in your mind "missile" and "anti-missile defense system" is the exact same thing?
US wants to put defense system to INTERCEPT missiles, not to put it's own missiles there. See the difference?
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|You seem to be confused. Do you understand the difference (technical, not philosophical) between a gun and a bullet proof vest? The exact same (again, technical, not philosophical) difference exists between missiles and missile interception systems.
The system US wants to place in Europe is designed to intercept missiles in flight. The term "defensive" is a technical one in this case, not political as you might have imagined.
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|They are the same. One US has a "system" install, they want to more and more. The only way to stop an already launched missile is with another missile.
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|> Oh, nice, you would not mind if Russia put
> some military installation in canada, then?
> Just to prevent missiles from polar bears....
If I were planning to invade Canada then I would mind, of course. Otherwise why would I mind about missile interception system?
> How would you know what in fact is built there,
> what missiles and tracking systems are there?
If this was the issue, russia would simply ask for proof and verification of what is being actually built. Instead they oppose interception system on principle, because it will substantially weaken russia's ability to harass it's neighbors.
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|> The only way to stop an already launched
> missile is with another missile.
Who told you such nonsense? Just to give you an example, there are multiple successful projects using high power lasers to intercept missiles in flight.
And even when another missile is used as interceptor, it is a highly specialized missile with very unique characteristics, not suitable for ground strikes or anything like that.
The most dangerous outcome of recent multiple US foreign policy blunders (like Iraq), may be the fact that many people started to cut slack to truly dangerous nations like russia or iran. And that could lead to a real tragedy.
Whatever you may not like about US (and there is a lot not to like), it is important not to lose perspective when comparing it to countries on the brink of fascism like russia.
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|I know.. isnt it funny how the USA is getting to be more and more like a benevolent fascism every day?
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|yes they did! good thing too ! seems like the japanese started the war and uhh like they did like uh the suicide thing and uh killed and raped mamed,tryed to conquere the chinese, oh but the US hated black people too and had the KKK and the civil war and uh like the Christians killed Muslems in the Holy wars and so on ,so on and so on
So whats yer point?
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|You should be careful when saying "only". You know that this is obviously not true. For example you forget about what happened in Chernobyl... Russia's 'quiet' gift to Ukraine...
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|Very nice! If the U.S. opts to "throw the switch" for civilian GPS usage, between the Russian and European satellite systems, we probably won't even know it. Kind of comforting when you own and use a GPS!
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|"GLONASS replaces Tsikada, a previous satellite system launched back in the days of the former Soviet Union. Tsikada took from one to two hours to calculate a position."
Oh those Commies crack me up!
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