The Ofek 9 spy satellite launched into space from Palmahim air base on Tuesday night began transmitting Wednesday morning, Army Radio reported. Read more
Israel has launched a surveillance satellite that will be used to spy on Iran's nuclear programme, reports say. The satellite's high resolution camera would significantly boost Israel's intelligence gathering, officials told local media. Israel's defence ministry said the Ofek 9 was launched from Palmachim air force base on its south coast near Tel Aviv. Read more
The following announcement was issued by Israel's Ministry of Defence spokesman on June 22nd, 2010: "Today 06.22.2010 at 22:00 hrs, Israel's "Ofeq 9" satellite was launched and successfully injected into orbit by means of a "Shavit" satellite launcher. Read more
Called Ofek 9, the satellite was launched at around 10 p.m. Tuesday from the Palmahim air base along the Mediterranean coast. It was placed in low orbit by an Israel Aerospace Industries-manufactured Shavit booster rocket of the same type used for the Ofek 7 satellite in 2007. Weighing 300 kg., Ofek 9 will orbit Earth from up to 600 km. in space. It has a four-year life span and will communicate its images via downlink with an IAI-run ground station. Read more
The Defence Ministry said the satellite was sent skyward from the Palmachim air force base on Israel's coast south of Tel Aviv. Defence officials said Ofek 9 is a spy satellite with a high resolution camera. It was to join two other active spy satellites. Read more
Israel boosts space presence: The defense establishment launched another spy satellite to space Tuesday evening, thereby boosting Israel's intelligence-gatherings capabilities, mostly at distant theatres. The latest satellite, Ofek 9, will be the sixth one to be deployed simultaneously. Read more
The 300-kg Ofek-9 satellite atop an improved version of the Shavit carrier rocket was launched from the Palmachim air force base.