Israel launches new satellite to spy on Iran*

Mark Tran
Monday January 21, 2008
Guardian Unlimited

Israel today launched a powerful spy satellite to keep watch on Iran,
its main threat in the region.

The TecSar satellite has an advanced radar system that should allow
Israeli intelligence officials to gather material at night and in cloudy
weather, a capacity beyond current Israeli satellites.

Reportedly capable of imaging with a resolution of up to 10 centimetres,
TecSar is considered crucial to enable Israel to track Iran's nuclear
activities. Israel suspects Tehran of trying to develop nuclear weapons,
despite conclusions to the contrary by US intelligence agencies.

Last November, a US intelligence report stated that Iran had halted its
nuclear weapons programme, a finding that undermined hawks in the US who
had been pushing for a strike against Iran's nuclear facilities.

Israel, however, has publicly disagreed with the US intelligence finding.

Israel's most advanced satellite was sent into orbit by an Indian rocket
from the Sriharikota launching range in south-east India. It was the
first time an Israeli satellite had been launched by an Indian rocket.

The decision to use an Indian vehicle was reached three years ago during
a visit by the then defence ministry director-general Amos Yaron and
marks growing Indian-Israeli cooperation. Two more satellites using
Indian rockets are scheduled.

The TecSar, manufactured by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), uses
radar to identify targets. The use of radar marks a considerable advance
on Israel's Ofek series of reconnaissance satellites that rely on cameras.

According to the Israeli newspaper Haaretz, the satellite, weighing some
300 kilogrammes, was launched at 5:45am (3.45am GMT), and was
successfully placed in orbit.

Scientists and engineers are now conducting tests to check the systems
and gauge their performance. First pictures from the satellite are
expected within two weeks.

The TecSar launch was postponed a number of times, largely due to
weather conditions.

Israel operates a number of reconnaissance satellites, including Ofek 5
and Ofek 7, as well as several commercial satellites, such as the Amos
and Eros series. A total of 11 Israeli satellites have been placed in
orbit, a number of them still operational.

"The TecSar is the first satellite of its kind developed in Israel, and
ranks among the world's most advanced space systems," IAI said in a
statement.

The satellite includes an advanced imaging system based on synthetic
aperture radar, or SAR, technology, the statement said. The development
and launch cost tens of millions of dollars.