Launch of Russia's next-generation Glonass-K Satellite set for August

The launch of Russia's next-generation Glonass-K navigation satellite from the Plesetsk space center, which was postponed several times before, is now planned for August, a space industry source told Sputnik.

"The delivery of the satellite to the spaceport is set for July, its launch is set for August 6," the source said.

The Glonass-K satellite, the third Russian navigation satellite of the type, is planned to be launched using the Soyuz-2.1b carrier rocket with the Fregat upper-stage booster. The satellite's launch has been postponed several times since March, amid production delays.

The first Glonass-K satellite was launched in February 2011, while the second one was launched in December 2014.

There are currently 27 satellites in the Russian Glonass constellation, 23 of them are operational. In February, spokesperson of Russian satellite maker ISS-Reshetnev said that nine next-generation Glonass-K satellites would be added to the constellation by 2022.