Russia has plans to start operating its new Glonass-K navigation satellite by the end of the year, Russian Space Systems construction bureau head Yury Urlichich has said.

The new satellite’s operation period will be three years longer than that of its predecessors, and it is currently undergoing in-orbit tests, according to RIA Novosti.

The Glonass-K, which has a service life of ten years, will beam four navigation signals in the special L1 and L2 bands and one in the L3 band for civilian applications.

Russia currently has 22 fully operational Glonass satellites in orbit and has plans to launch three Glonass-M satellites in the third quarter of 2011.