ISS: The first Glonass-K2 satellite is planned to be launched in May
The first Glonass-K2 spacecraft of the Russian Global Navigation Satellite System (GLONASS) is scheduled to be launched in May. The timing of the launch of a new generation spacecraft was named by the Information Satellite Systems company (ISS, part of Roscosmos) in a video posted on YouTube.
"The launch of the new Glonass-K2 spacecraft is scheduled for May of this year," the video says.
It is also noted there that currently "Information Satellite Systems" are completing the production of the satellite.
"The improved characteristics of the Glonass-K2 spacecraft will improve the quality and availability of navigation services based on the GLONASS system," the video states.
In December 2021, TASS, citing a source in the rocket and space industry, reported that the first Glonass-K2 could be launched in the second quarter of 2022.
In October, ISS CEO Nikolay Testoyedov said that the creation of new Glonass-K2 satellites costs Roscosmos twice as much as the Glonass-K spacecraft of the previous generation, and called it an absolutely natural process.
In November 2020, RIA Novosti, referring to the materials of Roscosmos, reported that the new Glonass-K2 satellites turned out to be four times more expensive than Glonass-M.