TEL AVIV — Israel is developing the capability to launch
satellites from airplanes.
State-owned Israeli contractors have been cooperating to develop an
air-launch booster that could set a satellite into orbit for cheaper and
easier than the current ground-based rocket launch. Executives said the
program would undergo development tests over the next year.
"The program has completed feasibility studies and is now in the stage
of simulated engineering development," Gil Mitzmacher, project manager at
the MLM division of Israel Aircraft Industries, said. "We will take this for
wind tunnel tests in 2006."
The program has been led by IAI as well as Rafael, Israel Armament
Authority, Middle East Newsline reported. Executives said the project envisioned the launch of a rocket
booster from anything from military air transport to an executive business
jet.
The Defense Ministry and the Israel Air Force have expressed interest in
the project. Officials said the air force envisioned the launch of a
constellation of micro-satellites during a national emergency that could
provide non-stop reconnaissance over targets in the Middle East.
"The launch, platforms and payload have to be available right now," Air
Force commander Maj. Gen. Eliezer Shkedy told a space conference on Jan. 31.
"We are not in the proper balance."
Under the proposal, the micro-satellites would cost as little as $10
million, with the air-launch booster another $10 million. Israeli satellites
have cost between $50-$100 million with a ground-based launch at up to $25
million.
Executives said several rockets and platforms could be used for
air-launch, depending on the size of the satellite. For micro-satellites,
which weigh about 100 kilograms, the booster could be the Black Sparrow
missile developed by Rafael.
The Black Sparrow is a variant of the Popeye air-to-ground missile and
used to simulate a target Scud-class missile in tests by the Arrow-2 missile
defense system. The micro-satellite was designed to operate in space at an
altitude of 250 kilometers.
Rafael has been experimenting with the Black Sparrow since 2000 as a
platform for space launches. Executives said Rafael remained in the early
phases of analysis and conceptual design.
IAI's concept has sought to launch the Ofeq-class satellite, which
weighs nearly 300 kilograms. Executives said this would require the use of
the Shavit launcher as the booster rocket.
But instead of being fired from the ground, the three-stage solid-fuel
Shavit would exit from a military air transport and launched into space. The
Shavit has succeeded in three of its last six launches.
"We are looking at the Antonov, Ilyushin or the C-17 [air transports],"
Mitzmacher said. "The Hercules [C-130] is too small for the [Shavit]
rocket."
