Brazil Hosts Russia’s Glonass Satellite Navigation System
By Veronica Magan | February 20, 2013
[Satellite TODAY 02-20-13] Brazil has become the first country outside of Russia to host part of the Glonass satellite navigation system. The Brazilian Space Agency and its Russian counterpart, Roscosmos, will jointly operate the system, which has been installed at the University of Brasilia.
Among other uses, Brazil expects the Glonass system to be used by the host university “to conduct aerospace and biomedical research. This initiative registers an account to Brazil as a country of choice for strategic partnerships of mutual interest in the space,” said Jose Raimundo Coelho, president of the Brazilian Space Agency.
With 24 satellites, the Glonass network aims to provide navigation services worldwide, much like the American Global Positioning System (GPS). The installation in Brazil will help Glonass accuracy in South America and benefit research in aerospace laboratories.
The agreement signed between both space agencies establishes technical cooperation for Glonass as well as support for research studies on satellite navigation systems, and contribute to the training of personnel with technical expertise in this system.