Truemors
This seems to be a strange pair of bedfellows, or am I the only one that thinks this?
BANGALORE: India successfully placed an Israeli spy satellite into orbit on Monday, an official at the Sriharikota space station in southern India said after a launch carried out under a veil of secrecy. The launch of the Tecsar satellite, sometimes referred to as the Polaris, was carried out in clear weather at 9:15 am local time (0345 GMT), space centre official S.V. Ramanayya said.
Antrix Corporation is happy to announce that its second full-fledged commercial launch has been successfully completed today. After the final count down, PSLV-C10 lifted off from the First Launch Pad (FLP) at SDSC SHAR at 09:15 Hrs with the ignition of the first stage. Incidentally this is the 25th Satellite Launch Mission from SDSC, SHAR. The launch of TECSAR was executed under a commercial contract between Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) and ANTRIX Corporation.
“The TECSAR is the first satellite of its kind developed by Israel Aerospace Industries in Israel, and ranks among the world’s most advanced space systems,”
India was asked to collaborate with Israel (by Israel) on the space venture, because it had a vehicle capable of boosting the satellite into a low-Earth polar orbit. The difference between a polar orbit and the orbit that most people think about, is that the satellite will travel around the Earth from pole to pole, thereby giving it a full view of the entire Earth. A normal orbit could not and does not provide such views.
On top of that, if they had used the Israeli launch vehicle, it would have been too risky for the required easterly launch. Plus, a launch from Israel would have meant that it needed to fly over Syria with possible grave strategic implications.
"This is bound to be seen in the Islamic world as a sinister tie-up between Israel and India," he [a defence analyst] said.
I did manage to find another link between India and Israel. Israel owns Taro Pharmaceuticals Industries and will be selling the strong mulit-million dollar company to India's Sun Pharmaceuticals for USD$454 million. Interesting.
Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) now confirms that the satellite is orbiting the Earth, with engineers and scientists involved in a "series of in-orbit tests to verify its performance." which will last for the next several weeks. The satellite is controlled solely by IAI.
The TECSAR joins an impressive list of satellites developed, produced and launched by IAI. As of today, 11 satellites from the Ofeq, EROS and Amos brands have been launched, including seven satellites currently in orbit. These successes contributed to IAI's recent award of a material contract to develop the Amos 4 communications satellite.
Itzhak Nissan, IAI's President & CEO said: [q]"IAI's management is very proud of this achievement, which serves as additional proof of IAI's great technological and administrative capabilities, and of IAI's leadership in the Israeli space industry and other areas of advanced technology."
Sources:
BBC News
Gulf News
Khaleej Times
Space Flight Now
Israel Aerospace Industries Ltd. (IAI)
Indian Space Research Organisation
Image Sources:
BBC News
Canada News
World News
Israel Aerospace Industries Ltd.
Department of Space: Indian Space Research Organisation
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