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| Science & Technology |
| Israeli defense industries target microsatellite market |
| 2005-12-17 |
| From Geostrategy Direct, subscription. TEL AVIV — Israel's two leading state-owned companies have agreed to form a joint venture in an effort to capture a stake in the microsatellite market. Under the plan, Israel Aircraft Industries and Rafael, Israel Armament Development Authority would join forces to produce low-cost multi-mission satellites that weigh no more than 120 kilograms. "The Defense Ministry has demanded that state-owned defense companies cooperate," an official said. "The space budget is very tight and industry efforts must be coordinated." Established in October 2005, the joint venture, the first between the two companies, is called MicroSat Ltd. The venture was effected by the suspension of IAI's long opposition to Rafael's entry into the satellite market. Executives said IAI would focus on building satellite platforms with Rafael contributing subsystems and payloads. Rafael has developed such capabilities as micro propulsion, inertial sensors and inter-satellite, laser-linked communications. Over the next few weeks the IAI-Rafael venture is expected to sign an estimated 12 million euro project with the French space agency Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales, or CNES. CNES and the Israel Space Agency have been partners on the Venus micro-satellite program. Venus is planned for launch in 2008. The joint venture has been encouraged by Israel's Defense Ministry, which has turned to the private sector for help in satellite reconnaissance. Interesting partnership. The Israelis and the French. The ministry's policy stemmed from difficulties in budgeting at least $60 million for the launch of the Ofeq-class satellite. In September 2004, Israel's Shavit space launch vehicle failed to place Ofeq-6 into orbit. Executives said the ministry has turned to other contractors to coordinate launches of commercial reconnaissance satellites to ensure Israeli coverage of the Middle East. ImageSat International has been operating the dual-use Eros-A reconnaissance satellite and plans to launch Eros-B in March 2006. ImageSat shareholders include IAI and its leading rival, Elbit Systems. The Defense Ministry has encouraged IAI's partnership with Elbit, whose El-Op subsidiary provides the reconnaissance payload for the Ofeq and Eros satellites. "There were periods when ImageSat's contribution was significant," said Aby Har-Even, former director-general of the Israel Space Agency. In 2005, the Defense Ministry also approved an IAI request to market the TechSAR synthetic aperture satellite. Under the agreement, IAI could offer both services on the TechSAR scheduled for launch in 2006 as well as the construction of similar platforms. The ministry has also sought to develop an Israeli microsatellite capability that would enable the rapid launch of a constellation of low-cost platforms that could provide strategic intelligence in the Middle East, particularly on Iran. And we KNOW that Iran bears watching, with an eye on action. The concept envisions the launch of these satellites from high-flying fighter-jets or even civilian aircraft. "It is worth doing an air launch," Yair Ramati, general manager of IAI's MLM division, told a space seminar by the Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies on Dec. 7. "It's not easy." |
| Posted by:Alaska Paul |
| #1 The TechSAR will be launched in October 2006 via India’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) |
| Posted by: john 2005-12-17 12:41 |