We are all familiar with GPS and use it every day in smartphones, but do you know about an alternative global positioning system? GPS was created in 1978, and shortly thereafter, the Russian government ordered the creation of an alternative system called the Global Navigation Satellite System - GLONASS.
History of creation
The development of GLONASS was started in 1976 in the then USSR. Today GLONASS is part of the Russian Space Agency, and in 2010 the GLONASS budget was one third of the Agency's budget. Until the very end of the USSR, GLONASS was primarily used for positioning weather conditions, measuring speed and time. In view of the short lifespan of satellites - about 3 years - it is obvious that few people hoped for the success of GLONASS. However, in 2001, the current Russian president made the completion of this project a priority for the Russian government, increasing funding. Six years later, in 2007, by presidential decree, GLONASS was opened for unrestricted public use. The Russian government is estimated to have spent about $ 5 billion on the project by 2011, and plans to spend another $ 10 billion by 2020.
What is the difference between GLONASS and GPS?
The main and obvious difference is the number of satellites. GLONASS has 24 satellites in three orbits, while GPS consists of 32 satellites in six orbits. Thus, GLONASS has more satellites in one orbit, which can negatively affect the accuracy of the system. The image compares GLONASS and GPS satellites and orbits.
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Accuracy
As of today, there is no discernible difference in accuracy between GLONASS and GPS. But at the beginning of the millennium, this was not the case, as the Russian system was dilapidated and the satellites were about to expire. This changed when the Russian space agency, Roscosmos, set a goal by 2011 to achieve GPS standards for GLONASS. And after 2011, the goal was achieved - the system proved its accuracy in "absolutely best conditions" (no clouds, high-rise buildings and radio interference) 2.8 meters, which is slightly less than GPS accuracy. Nevertheless, the accuracy in the southern hemisphere is worse, since the system was created for the needs of Russia.
GLONASS-K satellite model at CeBit 2011
Commercial use
Many manufacturers, including Apple, Sony and HTC, use GLONASS chips in their products, but their number is far behind GPS chips. The Glospace SGK-70 car navigator was the first commercial product to use GLONASS, and the Russian government was very supportive of this project. While GLONASS does not have a tangible advantage over GPS, GLONASS is used in conjunction with GPS to improve accuracy. Many manufacturers use both GPS and GLONASS at the same time, and if you suddenly find yourself under the clouds or between high-rise buildings, your navigator most likely uses both GLONASS and GPS - 55 satellites at the same time to improve accuracy.
Vadim Tarabarko