The Indian Space Research Organization announced the successful launch of the Israeli TECSAR satellite from the Sriharikota Space Station at around 9:15 a.m. local time. The satellite is among the most advanced space systems in the world, and its technology allows images to be sent regardless of weather conditions or sunlight. Approximately 80 minutes after the launch, the IAI (Israel Aerospace Industries) station in Israel began receiving signals from the 300 kg (650 pounds) space craft.

Plans of a launch emerged three years ago, but it would have been impossible to be completed without outside help, Israeli representatives reported. Israel lacked the means to send the satellite into the orbit, so India provided the much needed rocket, in this multi-million dollar investment, and the launch proved to be a success.

The TECSAR satellite, also known as Polaris, uses one of the most advanced spy technologies in the world and was developed by MBT Space, a division of Israel Aerospace Industries. According to an official statement, it will be able to send images 14 days after the launch, and as far as it goes, all the satellite functions seem to be working accordingly to plan.

From India’s point of view, the 45-year-old space program pays off, as this is the second satellite sent into orbit in less than a year, together with the April 2007 launch of an Italian satellite for a fee of $11 million. Since the program started in 1963, India sent its own satellites into space, but also established a launch base so as to reduce the dependency on other space agencies.

India is ready to be put on the same level as the United States, Russia, China and the European Space Agency in terms of commercial satellite launch services. The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) currently launches satellites using the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), as they did for TECSAR, or the GSLV for geostationary satellites.