Israel Aircraft Industries/MBT Division announced on December 5 the
successful launch of its EROS A1 satellite by the Russian Start-1
launcher. EROS-A1 satellite carries a high-resolution electro-optical
camera that will make commercial digital imagery services available
to users around the world.
The satellite operators who will sell satellite photographs to all
comers, will not be permitted, at the orders of the Ministry of
Defense, to sell photographs of sites and territory within Israel. It
is the first in a series of satellites in a multi-phase program
delivered to ImageSat International, a joint venture, in which IAI,
American and European investors are partners.
IAI personnel who had been sent to Svobodny, the Russian launch site,
prepared the satellite for launch and directed the entire launch
campaign.
In its polar orbit, the satellite circles the earth over its poles
every 94 minutes and crosses the equator, maintaining the same local
time. The EROS satellite has the ability for total coverage of the
earth for various imaging tasks. Initial in-orbit tests are expected
to last about a month.
MBT total sales for the 2000 reached $260 million, as compared to
$220 million in 1999. Sales forecast for 2001 will exceed more than
$300 million. The backlog in 2000 reached $800 million, and the
forecast for 2001 is approximately
$ 1 billion.
The launch was broadcast live to the IAI command post and the
communications center in Tel Aviv. All four stages of the launch
worked perfectly. Thirteen minutes after launch, the satellite began
broadcasting data to the command receiving station in Sweden, and it
was reported that the satellite had entered its planned orbit. 90
minutes after launch, the satellite was scheduled to broadcast
signals directly to the IAI receiving station, which will confirm
whether all its systems are functioning properly. Eros-1 is a part of
the photo-reconnaissance satellite system IAI and ImageSat are
planning to deploy. Their international partner the US company CST,
which will operate ten receiving stations and analyze the satellite's
photographs. CST and other foreign investors hold 60% of ImageSat,
and IAI and El-Op hold 31% and 9%, respecively. IAI general manager
Moshe Keret said after the successful launch, "the satellite's
entry to orbit symbolizes the inauguration of our civilian imaging
satellite program. This is the realization of a dream and vision." If
all goes according to plan, the satellite will begin providing
services in January 2001. Keret said that $300 million worth of
customers were already lined up for the services, however, the
satellite's full marketing and commercial potential had not yet been
tapped. Two more photography satellites will be launched in 2001. The
civilian one, 2-B, will be the second in the Eros series (following
1-A), and the second one, which is part of the military enterprise of
Israeli spy satellites, will be Ofek 4.
EROS A1 satellite
The 250 kg launch weight of EROS A1, includes fuel for a few years of
mission life. Its unique light weight (about one third of competing
satellites) makes the satellite highly manouverable and efficient in
performing its imaging tasks. IAI/MBT successfully launched LEO (Low
Earth Orbit) type satellites in 1998 and 1999. These were the
experimental OFEQ-1 and OFEQ-2 satellites. The Observation OFEQ 3
satellite was launched in April 1995. These LEO type satellites
orbit the earth at altitudes ranging from 400 to 1000 km and circle
the earth approximately every 100 minutes. They serve as platforms
for observation, communication and for scientific purposes.
In May 1996, AMOS-1 manufactured by IAI/MBT, was launched by the
French Arian, and is currently providing services over the Middle
East and the Central Europe areas. AMOS has the capability to
provide continuous telecommunication services.