Mig-29 - Take-off Magazine

cosmonautics | in brief
Aspects of GLONASS development
The development of the Russian
global satellite navigation system
dubbed GLONASS kicked off as
many as two decades ago, but the
‘steamroller’ of the 1990s almost
ran it into the ground. Mere seven
satellites of the constellation were
active in orbit as of 2007 despite the
measures taken by the government.
Meanwhile, effective operation of
the GLONASS is possible only in
case the whole 24-satellite constellation
is deployed.
Given the importance of the issue,
Russian President Vladimir Putin on
17 May 2007 issued the decree on
using the GLONASS global satellite
navigation system in support
of economic development of the
Russian Federation, allowing access
commercial users, including foreign
ones, to navigation data.
Under the decree, the Federal
Space Agency (Roscosmos) was
appointed coordinator of the efforts
to maintain, develop and operate
the GLONASS system in the interest
of civil users. In addition, the
government was tasked with determining
the powers of the federal
authorities in maintaining, developing
and operating the constellation
prior to 31 December 2007 and with
adopting before late 2011 a relevant
federal programme to be pursued
during 2012–20.
Attending the MAKS 2007 air
show, President Putin visited the
stand of RNIIKP, the core company
of the Russian Corporation of
Rocket-Space Device Engineering
and Information Systems being
established now. The President was
briefed on the latest developments
under the GLONASS programme,
proving that the state’s interest in
bringing the satnav system up to
snuff is no lip service. Roscosmos
chief Anatoly Perminov familiarised
the President with a full-size
mockup of the Reshetnev NPO PM’s
advanced Glonass-K satellite and
satnav user gear and brought him
abreast of the status of the programme
as a whole.
According to NPO PM, new satellites
will be fitted with intersatellite
48
measurement equipment that will
enhance the operating stability of
the constellation. The Glonass-K is
slated for orbiting in 2009.
During the air show, the Roscosmos
chief and Vnesheconombank’s representatives
signed an agreement
on cooperation and coordination
in devising techniques of financing
Roscosmos programmes and the
GLONASS federal programme in the
first place.
Introduction, albeit slow, of the
Russian satnav system in everyday
life is beginning. The Kompas design
bureau (Moscow) displayed the
first Russian-made GPS/GLONASS
navigation receiver during MAKS
2007. Initially, the gadget was developed
for the Defence Ministry. It is
immune to jamming, high and low
temperatures and shocks. The compact
NPI receiver is made of Russian
electronic componentry, save for its
German-made LCD that will lose
ground to a Russian one once the
device enters full-rate production.
The receiver is estimated to cost
within the $500–1,500 depending
on the scale of production.
Introduction of satnav capabilities
to aircraft has been especially high
on the agenda, because this enhances
flight safety and, as far as military
aircraft are concerned, effectiveness
of combat operations. The growth of
air traffic places greater emphasis
on precise following of designated
routes and air corridors, which has a
heavy influence on flight safety. The
current stacking standards stipulate
air corridors must be stuck to
with a 1-mile precision. GLONASS
integrating with the joint navigation
and aircraft positioning system will
allow real-time route checking. The
system will update the preset route
every five seconds, thus ensuring
compliance with all aircraft navigation
requirements.
The Atlant-Soyuz airline has been
the first among Russian carriers to
fit GLONASS gear on its aircraft, the
Tupolev Tu-154M (RA-85740). The
Vnukovo-based 400th Aircraft repair
Plant fixed the airliner with the BMS
onboard multifunction system from
Navigator VNIIRA (St. Petersburg).
In addition to GLONASS, BMS can
use inputs from the US GPS and
European Galileo satnav systems
and GNSS-SBAS (WAAS, EGNOS,
MSAS) satellite-based augmentation
systems. The gear proved to be
effective and functionable.
The Kompas design bureau
designed a landing system for aircraft-carrying
vessels – the first
Russian system of the kind, wrapped
around GLONASS/GPS. The designers
did their best to maximise its
reliability and interference immunity
and make it adaptable to commercial
users’ requirements in the
future. The system can be used on
offshore rigs and civil vessels and
at small airports.
The government is to spend about
10 billion rubles ($400 million) on
the GLONASS system in 2007. The
number of Russian navigation satellites
is to be beefed up to 18 navsats
in 2008–09 and to the 24 required to
complete the constellation by 2011.
The precision of positioning is to be
the same as that of GPS – 1 to 5 m
(it is lower by an order of magnitude
so far). Two Proton launch vehicles
were to insert six more GLONASS
satellites late in 2007.
take-off november 2007 www.take-off.ru
Igor Afanasyev