Russia’s homegrown global navigation satellite system, Glonass, was created as a rival to the US-run Global Positioning System (GPS) in the 1980s1. However, Glonass is currently facing several challenges. It is outdated, less accurate than GPS, and has a limited number of satellites. These limitations have hindered Russia’s ability to use smart weapons effectively. The Russian government has recognized the need for an upgrade and has launched a network upgrade project to improve Glonass.
How many satellites does Glonass have?
The GLONASS constellation currently consists of 24 satellites. Each satellite travels in a circular orbit approximately 19,140 kilometers above the Earth1. The system requires 18 satellites for continuous navigation services covering all of Russia and 24 satellites to provide services worldwide2. You can find more information about GLONASS satellites on the Wikipedia page.
How does GLONASS compare to GPS?
GLONASS (Globalnaya Navigazionnaya Sputnikovaya Sistema) is Russia’s version of the Global Positioning System (GPS) developed by the United States. While both systems serve the same purpose of providing global navigation satellite services, there are some differences between them.
Here is a comparison between GLONASS and GPS:
| Specification | GLONASS | GPS |
|---|---|---|
| Owner | Russian Federation | United States |
| Coding | FDMA (Frequency Division Multiple Access) | CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) |
| Number of satellites | At least 24 | 31 |
| Orbital Height | Approximately 21,150 kilometers | Approximately 19,130 kilometers |
| Accuracy | Position: 5–10 meters | Position: 3.5-7.8 meters |
| Orbital plane inclination | 64.8 degrees | 55 degrees |
| Orbital period | 11 hours and 16 minutes | 11 hours and 58 minutes |
| Frequency | Around 1.602 GHz (SP), 1.57542 GHz (L1 signal), 1.2276 GHz (L2 signal) | Around 1.246 GHz (SP), 1.57542 GHz (L1 signal), 1.2276 GHz (L2 signal) |
When used alone, GLONASS doesn’t have as strong coverage as GPS, but when both systems are used together, it can increase accuracy with better coverage2. GLONASS is particularly useful in northern latitudes, as it was originally developed by Russia for its own use.
It’s important to note that while GLONASS offers enhanced accuracy over GPS, there is no clear advantage other than accuracy when comparing the two systems.
