LymingtonPugwash
Well-Known Member
Glad I'm holding onto my chart table and paper charts, despite the insistance of many on this forum previously that they're a waste of space!
GPS faces shutdown
- Thread starter retsina
- Start date
T
timbartlett
Guest
As at midday today, Glonass had 20 satellites in orbit, of which 1 is in maintenance and 19 are operational. The two oldest ones are five and a half years old: most are much less.
They've already declared 24/7 coverage over Russia itself, and the coverage chart ( go to www.glonass-ianc.rsa.ru and click on "PDOP current values") shows that they have almost 24/7 coverage over most of the rest of the world.
The russians launch their satellites in groups of three, with launches scheduled for September 25 and December 25 this year. So by early 2010, they will probably have 26 satellites in orbit -- which will give Glonass full 24/7 worldwide coverage.
And I've been told by someone who should know that some relatively low-cost chart plotters already include the hardware to use Glonass, but will require a software update in due course. I'm not entirely convinced it will be quite as simple as that, but it certainly doesn't sound too far away.
They've already declared 24/7 coverage over Russia itself, and the coverage chart ( go to www.glonass-ianc.rsa.ru and click on "PDOP current values") shows that they have almost 24/7 coverage over most of the rest of the world.
The russians launch their satellites in groups of three, with launches scheduled for September 25 and December 25 this year. So by early 2010, they will probably have 26 satellites in orbit -- which will give Glonass full 24/7 worldwide coverage.
And I've been told by someone who should know that some relatively low-cost chart plotters already include the hardware to use Glonass, but will require a software update in due course. I'm not entirely convinced it will be quite as simple as that, but it certainly doesn't sound too far away.