Posted: Tue, Nov 15, 2005, 8:35 AM ET (1335 GMT)
India has agreed to launch an Israeli reconnaissance satellite, the first time Israel has allowed another country to launch one of its military satellites. Space News reported in this week's issue that an Indian PSLV will launch the TechSAR synthetic aperture radar satellite in October 2006, although final details about the launch agreement are being worked out. Part of the reason Israel picked the PSLV is a loss of confidence in Israel's own small launch vehicle, the Shavit, which failed in its last launch attempt last year. In addition, the PSLV launch will cost Israel about $15 million, compared to the $15-20 million cost of a Shavit. The launch agreement is also seen as a means to strengthen strategic cooperation between the two countries.
