On 10 October 2022 at 0252 GMT the Glonass K1-17 navigation satellite was launched successfully by a Soyuz 2-1b/Fregat rocket from Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russia. This is the second satellite in 2022 sent to replenish the Russian military Glonass navigation constellation. It is expected to replace one of the 22 active older Glonass-M series satellites whose production has been discontinued. Built by ISS Reshetnev, Glonass K1-17 carries a new civilian signal and COSPAS-SARSAT receiver for emergency beacon location. After successful deployment, Glonass K1-17 is expected to become Cosmos 2559 (Kosmos 2559) – the codename given to Russian military satellites. The satellite was placed into a 19,157 x 19,146 km orbit inclined at 64.8 degrees relative to the equator.
This launch will bring the Glonass constellation total up to 26 active satellites. The first of the more modern Glonass-K series of satellites, Cosmos 2471 – launched in 2011, is believed to have been retired in November 2021.
Russian Aerospace Forces
