Israel Aerospace industries (IAI) has signed a $200 million contract with Singapore to provide the island nation with the cutting-edge DS-SAR spy satellite.
The satellite was successfully launched into space on a PSLV-C56 (Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle) rocket early Sunday morning from a launch site in Sriharikota, India.
In line with the original launch program, the satellite entered its orbit around the Earth, began transmitting data, and underwent a series of preliminary performance tests conducted by IAI’s engineers, who validated the correct functioning and performance level of the systems.
“While in orbit, the satellite is expected to begin a preplanned series of tests, and following their completion, will be formally handed over to its Singaporean customers, DSTA and ST Electronics,” IAI said in a statement.
IAI has previously developed a series of advanced observation satellites — OptSat and TecSAR — which have been launched into space, in new generations, since 1988.
The SAR sensor payload enables the collection of a wide range of data, in terms of both coverage and resolution, day and night, and under all weather conditions.
