At Plesetsk spaceport Aerospace Defence troops are preparing Soyuz-2.1b booster for Glonass-K new generation space device launch scheduled for December 1, 2014, – Russian Ministry of Defence Aerospace Defence troops press-office representative colonel Alexey Zolotukhin reported.
Previous GLONASS space device was successfully launched by aerospace defence troops operational crews from Plesetsk in June 2014.
“Preparation works on Soyuz-2.1b booster for the launch of Glonass-K space device are under way at Plesetsk state test spaceport in Arkhangelsk region. The launch is scheduled for December 1, 2014”, – Zolotukhin stated.
According to him at the present time Plesetsk spaceport specialists are completing technological operations on Soyuz-2.1B booster main blocks, Fregat upper stage and Glonass-K space device assembling and testing. Upon completion of these operations the crews will conduct a series of autonomous tests first checking the booster systems itself and then mated with space head systems.
Russian GLONASS system satellites have been launched from Plesetsk since February 2011. Thet time the first Glonass-K new generation space device was launched with the help of Soyuz-2.1b medium booster. Up to that moment all Glonass satellites had been launched with the help of Proton heavy booster from Baikonur.