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IAI established contact with the satellite 80 minutes after
the launch. After confirming the satellite is in orbit and its
systems are healthy, IAI's engineers began an extensive series
of systems testing which could take several weeks. IAI expects
to receive initial SAR images from the satellite within 14 days.
TECSAR is one of the world's most advanced SAR satellites, providing
high resolution SAR images regardless of the visibility condition,
in day, night and through clouds. The new satellite will increase
Israel's
surveillanve capability by 'opening the night', increasing
'target revisit' rate, overcoming enemy concealment and deception
techniques, combining a target profile from multiple, discrete
sensors.
This launch was the second commercial mission for another country
carried out by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
The 300 kg TECSAR satellite uses a polar orbit, like the EROS
satellites which were launched by Russian satellite launchers.
The OFEQ satellites are launched into retrograde elliptical
orbit from Israel, using Shavit satellite launchers.
The successful deployment Israel's TECSAR will also promote
the cooperation between Northrop Grumman and IAI, initiated
in April 2007. The companies announced an exclusive teaming
agreement to provide a responsive, cost-effective, space-based
SAR capability to the U.S. government based on IAI's multi-mode
X-band radar imaging satellite known as Trinidad.
This satellite, based on TECSAR design, can be manufactured
in about 28 months and held in storage for launch on a 30-day
call-up.
"We are confident that the high resolution imagery provided
by Trinidad can become an important part of the U.S. inventory,
providing global awareness," said Jeff D. Grant, vice president
and general manager of the company's National Systems Division.
"Northrop Grumman is ready to quickly deliver Trinidad
to help the U.S. gain a more complete picture of the threats
we face today on a global scale."
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