Space: August 23, 2005

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India has admitted that it is building a military reconnaissance satellite. India has had civilian photo satellites in orbit, with resolution high enough to be useful by the military. So it was not a large step to add more resolution, and some other sensors, to existing photo satellite designs, and create one capable of doing military grade work (which means looking for things people are trying to hide, and getting much more detailed pictures.) The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) has launch facilitates in French Guyana and Sritharikota Island. India launched a one meter resolution photo satellite in 2001, becoming the first nation besides the United States or Russia, with a bird of there with that kind of resolution. Israel has offered India access (on a leased time basis) to its military recon birds, and this deal may already have been quietly made. The first Indian military spy satellite will be ready for launch in 2007.