OREANDA-NEWS. November 11, 2011. The Block №44 Glonass-M satellites designed and manufactured by the Reshetnev Company were successfully launched on November 4, 2011.

Glonass-M satellites №43, №44, №45 were delivered into a circular orbit by a Proton-M/Breeze M launcher from the Baikonur spaceport.

The launch went off according to plan. All the satellites' subsystems have been deployed. Thus far, the Satellite System Mission Control Center of the Ministry of Defence together with the ISS-Reshetnev Information Computation Center has held the first communication session. The three satellites are earth- and sun-oriented; their AOCSs, thermal control and power supply subsystems are functioning properly.

According to Nikolay Testoyedov, ISS-Reshetnev general designer and director general, this launch will not only ensure the operation of a complete 24-satellite GLONASS constellation, but also allow creating the necessary orbital reserve.