Wikipedia
GLONASS (, ; ; transliteration ), or "GLObal NAvigation Satellite System", is a space-based satellite navigation system operating in the radionavigation-satellite service and used by the Russian Aerospace Defence Forces. It provides an alternative to GPS and is the second alternative navigational system in operation with global coverage and of comparable precision.
Manufacturers of GPS devices say that adding GLONASS made more satellites available to them, meaning positions can be fixed more quickly and accurately, especially in built-up areas where the view to some GPS satellites is obscured by buildings. Smartphones generally tend to use the same chipsets and since the versions used since 2015 receive GLONASS signals, smartphones using such chips receive GLONASS positioning information along with GPS. Since 2012, GLONASS was the second most used positioning system in mobile phones after GPS. The system has the advantage that smartphone users receive a more accurate reception of up to 2 meters.
Development of GLONASS began in the Soviet Union in 1976. Beginning on 12 October 1982, numerous rocket launches added satellites to the system until the constellation was completed in 1995. After a decline in capacity during the late 1990s, in 2001, under Vladimir Putin's presidency, the restoration of the system was made a top government priority and funding was substantially increased. GLONASS is the most expensive program of the Russian Federal Space Agency, consuming a third of its budget in 2010.
By 2010, GLONASS had achieved 100% coverage of Russia's territory and in October 2011, the full orbital constellation of 24 satellites was restored, enabling full global coverage. The GLONASS satellites' designs have undergone several upgrades, with the latest version being GLONASS-K.
GLONASS , also known as Uragan ( GRAU Index 11F654) are the first generation of Uragan satellite used as part of the Russian GLONASS radio-based satellite navigation system. Developed by Reshetnev Information Satellite Systems, it had its debut launch in 1983, with the last launched unit on 2005 and the retirement of the last unit Kosmos 2403 on April 30, 2009. It has been superseded by the GLONASS-M ( GRAU Index 11F654M), the second-generation satellites.