Russian Defense Ministry Begins Final Testing Of GLONASS Navigation Satellite System

The Russian global navigation satellite system, GLONASS has been handed over to Russia’s Ministry of Defense for the final tests.

"During tests, the client voiced certain remarks to us that we took into account, and on November 5, tests were resumed. We are making all efforts to complete the work. And we hope that the system will be accepted into service following the tests," Russian Space Systems (RSS) Andrey Tyulin told the Izvestiya newspaper, TASS reports Monday.

Tyulin has further said that the company has remedied problems previously identified by the ministry – particularly in its spare parts manufacturing and ground facilities equipment. The testing was resumed on Saturday.  

The earlier launch date of the GLONASS with the ministry was in 2015.

GLONASS is seen as Russia's version of the US Global Positioning System (GPS). First launched in 1982, GLONASS project costed about 5 billion dollars up to 2011, and the Russian government further invested 320 billion rubles ($10 billion) for the period of 2012 to 2020.