Science for peace and for peace only!

GLONASS is a Russian satellite navigation system that works just like GPS. GLONASS provides timing and geolocation services to the Russian military and thus supports the ongoing invasion of Ukraine.

The International Laser Ranging Service (ILRS) is a scientific organization that collects and distributes satellite laser ranging data supporting operation of the GLONASS satellites.

In the time of Russian aggression against Ukraine, when heavy international sanctions are in place, we call on ILRS to stop supporting GLONASS navigation satellites because they are a part of Russia’s military machine.

This action by ILRS would communicate a strong signal to the Russian government that the global laser ranging community only supports peaceful use of the scientific product that it delivers.

ILRS must remove GLONASS satellites form the list of supported missions!

ILRS mission list

What could happen to GLONASS?

• GLONASS has been build and is operated by Russia. It should be assumed that Roscosmos has all what it takes to maintain the system operational even without the international support.
• Technically, cutting ILRS support for GLONASS would reduce accuracy of the constellation Precise Orbit Determination and thus decrease quality of the geolocation services that it provides (lower accuracy trilateration).
• In the long term, reduced research on GLONASS would slow down technological evolution of the system.
• The international scientific community must speak one voice against aggressive Russian government. This is especially important now, when the evidence of Russian military committing war crimes in Ukraine is mounting. Support for the cutting-edge GLONASS satellite technology, a component of the Russian war machine, can no longer be of interest to ILRS!
• On March 16, the UN International Court of Justice in The Hague has ruled the Russian invasion of Ukraine illegal. We are advocating for ILRS to preserve its neutrality and cut the support for the Russian military satellite technologies immediately.
  Link: UN ICJ