ImageSat International has awarded Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI) a $110 million contract to manufacture and launch the Eros 1B 0.82m- (32in-) resolution commercial remote-sensing satellite. The craft's high resolution camera will be built by Israel's El-Op.
Eros 1A was launched by a Russian Start booster last December. The planned ImageSat orbital constellation will number eight craft in 480km (298 miles) circular sun-synchronous orbits. ImageSat was established by IAI, El-Op and Core Software Technology.
Meanwhile, Taiwan is using images from Eros 1A to monitor activities in China.
It can access 2m resolution images direct from the Eros 1A satellite. Taiwan previously relied on images from the US-based Space Imaging's Lockheed Martin-built Ikonos satellite.
| SATELLITE AND SPACECRAFT LAUNCHES JULY 2001 | ||||||
| No | Date | Spacecraft | Type | Launcher | Country | Launch site |
| 28 | 12 July | Atlantis | ISS | STS 104 | USA | KSC |
| 29 | 12 July | Artemis | Comsat | Ariane 5* | Europe | Kourou |
| BSAT-B | Comsat | |||||
| 30 | 20 July | Molniya | Comsat | Molniya | Russia | Plesetsk |
| 31 | 21 July | GOES 12 | Metsat | Atlas IIA | USA | Canaveral |
| 32 | 31 July | Koronas F | Science | Tsyklon 3 | Russia | Plesetsk |
| * Satellites stranded in wrong orbit Last Satellite Launch Log: Flight International 10-16 July | ||||||
Source: Flight International
