Indian Rocket Launches Israeli-Built Spy Satellite

An Indian-built Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle blasts off with RISAT 2, an Israeli -built radar reconnaissance satellite on April 20, 2009. (Image credit: ISRO)

India launched aclosely-guarded Israeli-built radar spy satellite Monday to begin gatheringvaluable intelligence data from a 342-mile-high perch above the planet,regardless of lighting and weather conditions.

The country's 15th PolarSatellite Launch Vehicle ignited at 0115 GMT and leapt from the Second LaunchPad at the Satish Dhawan Space Center on India's east coast. Liftoff of the144-foot-tall rocket was at 6:45 a.m. local time.

"RISAT 2 is a radarimaging satellite with all-weather capability to take images of theEarth," ISRO said in a document on its Web site. "This satellite willenhance ISRO's capability for disaster management applications."

RISAT 2 is similar toIsrael's TECSAR satellite launched by another PSLV rocket last year. Bothsatellites look identical in available public imagery, have the same launchmass, and will operate in comparable orbits.

Monday's launch also hauledinto space a small 84-pound educational satellite called ANUSAT.

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Stephen Clark is the Editor of Spaceflight Now, a web-based publication dedicated to covering rocket launches, human spaceflight and exploration. He joined the Spaceflight Now team in 2009 and previously wrote as a senior reporter with the Daily Texan. You can follow Stephen's latest project at SpaceflightNow.com and on Twitter.