Belarus to install nine GPS, GLONASS reference stations in 2014

Plans have been made to install nine continuously operating reference stations (CORS) in Belarus in 2014 for the sake of the global satellite-powered positioning system, BelTA learned from Andrei Anashenkov, Chief Engineer of the Belarusian aerospace geodesy enterprise Belaerocosmogeodesy.

Since 1 January 2014 as many as 15 CORS stations have been switched from test mode to operation mode. Their commissioning was part of the first phase of the second stage of the overall system’s deployment. The Belarusian national satellite-based precise positioning system comprises 63 continuously operating stations. Another nine are supposed to be commissioned in 2014. In the long term Belarus will have a total of 99 CORS stations.

CORS stations offer precise positioning services by receiving signals from the Russian global positioning system GLONASS and the American system GPS. The data is processed by a dedicated computing center and is routed to consumers, explained the source.

The system provides precise positions of objects, for instance, underground pipelines or borders of land plots, with the precision of 1-5cm. CORS stations rule out many errors in the design and construction of facilities because positions are measured using the uniform coordinates system of Belarus, noted Andrei Anashenkov.

The Belarusian state-run enterprise Belaerocosmogeodesy specializes in geodesy and mapmaking services. The enterprise is part of the State Property Committee of Belarus.