Space Security Index

Figure 6.4: Russian dedicated military spacecraft launched by application: (1957–2010) 124
Space Support for Terrestrial Military Operations
Despite the aggressive launch schedule, the GLONASS failure was one of several setbacks
that the Russian space program faced in 2010, including failing to build six of 11 planned
satellites for the Russian space forces. Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov said in early
2011 that he expected the GLONASS constellation to be completed by the end of 2011. 125
During his visit to India, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin signed two agreements.
In the rst, Russia’s Navigation Information System-GLONASS and Antrix Corporation,
the marketing arm of ISRO, established a joint venture to access the Indian navigation and
timing services market by addressing the reliability of signals of both GLONASS and GPS. 126
A second agreement related to the use of the GLONASS signal for defense. 127
Communications and Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance
In January, Russia launched a military communications satellite of the Raduga series. 128 A
Parus relay and navigation satellite was launched on 27 April, 129 and a military reconnaissance
satellite, believed to be part of the Kobalt series of optical reconnaissance satellites,
was launched on 16 April. 130 On 8 September, a Rockot launch placed three military
communications satellites (a Gonets-M satellite and two Kosmos satellites) in orbit. 131 On
30 September, a US-K early warning satellite was launched aboard a Molniya-M carrier. 132
Launch
e commander of Russia’s Space Forces said in January that the country will extensively use
the Angara class carrier rockets, which will eventually replace the Rockot and Proton vehicles,
to launch military satellites. 133 e new heavy lift rocket, which will launch mainly from
upgraded launch facilities in the Plesetsk space center, will eventually be able to lift between
2 and 24.5 metric tons to LEO. Both projects have been stalled because of budgetary issues.
Vladimir Nesterov, head of the Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center,
announced in July that test launches for the Angara rocket would begin in 2013, after rocket
assembly is completed in 2011. 134 e rst-stage engine is “99% ready,” and the second-stage
engine has been tested three times. He added that Khrunichev is also developing the Angara
7, a super-heavy-lift version capable of launching payloads of between 45 and 74 tons. 135
Space Security Impact
Even as reliance on space systems increases, delays, cost overruns, and other setbacks directly
impacted e orts to update systems in 2010. As well, gaps in critical capabilities increase the
125