Russian Updated GLONASS Navigation System To Enter Service By 2016

Russia's GLONASS satellite navigation network, after being updated according to the Russian Defense Ministry requirements, will be made available for service by the end of 2015.

"Just the other day the [Russian] Aerospace Forces held a meeting on the issue and came to an opinion that the tests [of GLONASS] should be completed this year. We will make every effort to put the system into operation to the customer within these terms," Andrei Tyulin CEO of Russian Space Systems was quoted as saying by Saying by Sputnik International on Tuesday.

This updated system was planned to be put into operation several years ago but the Defense Ministry had a number of issues requiring resolution. The updated version of GLONASS will show drastic changes in the system, the CEO said.

GLONASS is a satellite navigation system operated by the Russian Aerospace Defense Forces. The GLONASS project, launched in 1993, is considered to be Russia's equivalent of GPS (Global Positioning System).

The Global Navigation Satellite System GLONASS will provide users their position and time anywhere in the world or near-Earth space. GLONASS is nearly identical to the GPS system of the United States.