Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) controllers are checking out a new 300-kg. (661-Ib.) radar imaging satellite-Risat-2-built with Israeli technology in a hurry-up effort to improve India's satellite reconnaissance capabilities over Pakistan in the wake of last year's terror attacks in Mumbai. ISRO used a Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C12) Apr. 20 to launch the spacecraft from the Satish Dhawan Space Center on Sriharikota Island on the Bay of Bengal. The imaging radar on Risat-2 is believed to be a TecSAR unit built by Israel Aerospace Industries, which also provided the radar for India's TecSAR/Polaris 1 imaging radar reconnaissance satellite launched on a PSLV in January. However, ISRO says it modified the technology Israel is pushing in the developing world (see p. 46).
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