Israel to launch latest spy satellite on Indian rocket

Israel is to launch its most advanced spy satellite, TecSar, aboard an Indian launcher in September to monitor developments on Iran's nuclear installations, a media report said in Jerusalem.

The new satellite, the first Israeli satellite with Synthetic Aperture Radar capabilities, is capable of transmitting tiny images in all weather conditions, The Jerusalem Post Online reported.

The TecSar has been developed by Israel Aerospace industries and weighs just over 300 kg.

Israel had last month successfully launched its spy satellite, Ofek 7, but TecSar can create images of objects on earth even in cloudy weather conditions, a capability not available with the Ofek satellites.

The Ofek 7 is a camera-based satellite, while TecSar is capable of creating high-resolution images using advanced radar technology.

'This new satellite will be a major leap for the Israel Defence Forces and its operational capabilities,' a senior defence official was quoted as saying by the Post.

'This will enhance our intelligence gathering capabilities, and its successful launch will place Israel as one of the leading countries in the world in satellite development,' he said.

It will be the first time that Israel will launch a satellite aboard an Indian rocket.

The decision to launch the missile from India was reached three years ago during a visit there by then-Defence Ministry director general Amos Yaron, the report said.

The liftoff will be from the Indian space centre at Sriharikota.

Defence officials have hailed the decision to launch the satellite from India as an important milestone symbolising the growing military ties between the two countries, the report said.

The TecSar will be also more advanced than the Eros B satellite, which Israel launched in April 2006 and has the ability to spot images on the ground as small as 70 centimeters, they said.

In addition to the Ofek 7, Eros B and the Amos 1 and 2 (both communication satellites), Israel currently operates the Ofek 5 spy satellite, successfully launched in May 2002.