"Today the Russian space system [of satellites] corresponds with the state level and was brought to the minimum level necessary for the defense of the country," Colonel General Vladimir Popovkin said.

Popovkin said 17 satellites currently operate in orbit, but that the exploitation terms of some of them may expire soon.

He said six more satellites would be launched as backups to the main satellites.

"Since the estimated number of satellites is 24, six more satellites are necessary to ensure the work of the system," Popovkin said. "Designers came up with two extra satellites for work in each dimension."

According to RIA Novosti, he also said the problems with the two satellites orbited at the end of 2005 were solved since their fuel froze and that the satellites would be put into operation in a couple of days.

Popovkin said the Space Forces assessed how to reduce the terms for the completion of GLONASS.

"We have reported our proposals to Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov," Popovkin said.

He said extra financing would be necessary to put the navigation system into operation as soon as possible.

The first launch under GLONASS took place October 12, 1982, but the system was only formally launched September 24, 1993. GLONASS comprises radio navigation satellites that track the whereabouts of consumers on land, at sea and in space.

GLONASS satellites were designed and built by the research and production center based in Krasnoyarsk in southern Siberia.

The satellites currently in use are of two modifications - GLONASS and its updated version GLONASS-M. The latter satellites have a longer service life of seven years and are equipped with updated antenna feeder systems and an additional navigation frequency for civilian users.

The future modification, GLONASS-K, is an entirely new model based on a non-pressurized platform, standardized to the specifications of the previous models' platform, Express-1000.

GLONASS-Ks are small-sized spacecraft that are considerably lighter than their previous models, which makes them less costly to put into orbit. Their weight also allows the use of a wider range of carrier rockets.

GLONASS-Ks' estimated service life has been increased to 10-12 years and a third "civilian" L-range frequency was added.

Tests on GLONASS-K satellites are scheduled for 2007.

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