Second Glonass launch of 2007

The Russian strategic nuclear forces blog is reporting on December 25, 2007 Russia successfully launched Proton-M rocket from the Baykonur launch site (launch pad No. 24 of the launch complex No. 81). The launch took place at 22:32:34 MSK (19:32:34 UTC). The rocket, equipped with DM upper stage, delivered three Glonass-M navigation satellites into orbit.

The satellites have been deployed in semi-synchronous circular orbits with altitude of about 19130 km and the inclination of 64.7 degrees. The satellites received international designations 2007-065A, 2007-066B, and 2007-067C. At this time, the only available NORAD catalog number is 32393 for the 2007-065A satellite. Two other satellites are likely to be assigned NORAD numbers 32394 and 32395. Official Russian designations for the spacecraft have not been announced yet, but it is likely that the satellites will be designated Cosmos-2435, Cosmos-2436, and Cosmos-2437. Reported internal Glonass numbers are 21, 22, and 23.

The satellites are deployed in the second orbital plane of the Glonass constellation, complementing three active satellites there. The table below shows the current distribution of satellites. [The table will be updated as the information becomes available.]

Previous launch of Glonass satellites took place on October 26, 2007.

SSC#   NORAD name      Intl Desig Russian desig Plane/point Glonass number  
26566  Cosmos-2374     2000-063C  783  3/18  [1]  
26987  Cosmos-2382     2001-053A  711  1/5  [1][2]  
26988  Cosmos-2381     2001-053B  789  1/3  [1]  
27617  Cosmos-2394     2002-060A  791  3/22  [1]  
27619  Cosmos-2395     2002-060C  792  3/21  [1]   
28112  Cosmos-2404     2003-056A  701  1/6  [3]  
28113  Cosmos-2402     2003-056B  794  1/2  [1]   
28114  Cosmos-2403     2003-056C  795  1/4     
28508  Cosmos-2413  Cosmos-2411  2004-053A  796  1/1     
28509  Cosmos-2411  Cosmos-2413  2004-053B  712  1/7  [3]  
28510  Cosmos-2412     2004-053C  797  1/8     
28915  Cosmos-2419     2005-050A  714  3/23  [3]  
28916  Cosmos-2418     2005-050B  713  3/24  [3]  
28917  Cosmos-2417     2005-050C  798  3/22  [1][4]  
29670  Cosmos-2425     2006-062A  716  2/15  [3]  
29671  Cosmos-2426     2006-062B  717  2/10  [3]  
29672  Cosmos-2424     2006-062C  715  2/14  [3]  
32275  Cosmos-2433     2007-052A  720  3/19  [3]  
32276  Cosmos-2432     2007-052B  719  3/20  [3]  
32277  Cosmos-2431     2007-052C  718  3/17  [3]  
32393  Cosmos-24??     2007-065A  72?  2/??  [3]  
32394  Cosmos-24??     2007-065B  72?  2/??  [3]  
32395  Cosmos-24??     2007-065C  72?  2/??  [3]  

[1] Not active as of December 27, 2007
[2] Glonass-M prototype
[3] Glonass-M
[4] Moved from the point 3/19 in November 2007