[12-26-07 – Satellite Today] A Proton M launch vehicle placed three Russian Global Navigation System Program (Glonass) navigation satellites in orbit, International Launch Services and the Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center announced Dec. 26.
    The launch, performed by a Russian Space Forces launch crew from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, is the first time the Proton M–DM upper stage tandem configuration has been used to launch Glonass satellites.
    Glonass is a dual–purpose global navigation system designed to serve the Russian Ministry of Defense and civil users.