Russia has launched a Glonass-M navigation satellite from the launch pad of Plesetsk cosmodrome located in the Arkhangelsk region.

Launched aboard a Soyuz-2.1b carrier rocket, the satellite is a part of Russia’s Glonass satellite navigation system, which is designed to provide navigation data for the country’s military and civilian use.

The system is developed as an alternative to the US Global Positioning System (GPS) in the commercial market for obtaining navigation data.

"This is the second launch of the Glonass-M satellite and the third performed by a Soyuz-2 medium-class carrier rocket from the Plesetsk cosmodrome this year."

Initially, the launch was scheduled for May 21, but it got postponed due to an unknown reason.

However, Reshetnev Information Satellite Systems Company, which has built the Glonass-M satellite satellite noted that the postponement of the launch of the satellite was not linked to its condition, reported Tass.

This is the second launch of the Glonass-M satellite and the third performed by a Soyuz-2 medium-class carrier rocket from the Plesetsk cosmodrome this year.

In the last 12 years, Soyuz-2 carrier rockets in their advanced 1a, 1b and 1v modifications have conducted 27 launches at the Plesetsk space port.

The newly launched Glonass-M is the 29th satellite in the orbital constellation of the Glonass system, in which 24 navigation satellites are fully operational, one is a spare and another one is currently undergoing flight testing.

Reshetnev Information Satellite Systems Company noted that two other navigation satellites are revised by chief designer of the Glonass system.

Russia’s state body responsible for the space science programme Roscosmos previously stated that up to eight satellites may join the Glonass system constellation by the end of next year.