OREANDA-NEWS. February 22, 2011. Russian scientists and explorers are testing the satellite navigation they have developed to challenge the dominant US global positioning system (GPS) by trying to drive from their Arctic shore, over the North Pole, to Canada.

The GLONASS satellite navigation technology has been under development by Russian scientists for a number of years. They intend to use the system to navigate two specially adapted vehicles across the shifting ice floes and precipitous terrain that covers the Arctic ice pack.

The expedition, which is expected to last a number of months, began on 17 February. The team of eight explorers - including two Russian-born Canadian citizens - will cover 8,000km (5,000 miles) before they arrive in Canadian territory at the end of May and complete the expedition on 22 June.

Expedition leader Vladimir Chukov told journalists in Moscow on Tuesday that "Russia is further ahead than anyone" in the exploration of the Arctic, adding, "We're traveling a path which has never yet been taken in the Arctic."

The voyage is one of the first official tests for the USD 2 billion GLONASS system, which Russia aims to integrate fully into domestic consumer technology and professional positioning hardware, such as surveying equipment.

The two vehicles use over inflated super-tyres that would allow them to travel over snow drifts and, if necessary, float on water for a limited period. During the expedition the scientists also plan to study polar bear populations at the pole and test for indications of global warming and climate change.