The “Ofek 19” satellite successfully launched into space late Tuesday, and initial tests showed it was performing as planned, the Defense Ministry, in collaboration with the Israel Defense Forces and Israel Aerospace Industries, announced.
The satellite, which will be used for military reconnaissance, was launched at 10:30 p.m. from Palmachim airbase in central Israel.
In an update Wednesday morning, the Defense Ministry said the spacecraft successfully entered orbit, began transmitting data, and passed a series of initial tests.
Defense Minister Israel Katz said that the successful launch served not only as a technological milestone but also as a warning to Israel’s adversaries.
“The launch of the ‘Ofek-19’ satellite yesterday is an achievement of the highest global standard… it is also a message to all our enemies, wherever they may be — we are watching you at all times and in all circumstances,” he wrote on X.
Katz also extended an invitation to regional powers to cooperate with Israel in harnessing such capabilities “for a better shared future for us all,” while stressing that Israel will continue to invest heavily in space and satellite programs to strengthen its security edge.
The launch reportedly caused brief panic in Tel Aviv and central Israel, where residents mistook the satellite for an interceptor missile. In videos posted online, passersby could be heard wondering what the rocket launch was.
Over the past two years, amid the ongoing Gaza war, Iran-backed terror groups throughout the region have fired hundreds of ballistic missiles and rockets at Israel, most of which have been intercepted by air defense systems.
The Defense Ministry said a “Shavit” launcher lofted the satellite into space, where it entered the planned orbit.
“Ofek-19” is a synthetic aperture radar observation satellite with advanced capabilities, designed to provide high-resolution imaging for intelligence and surveillance purposes.
Engineers from the Defense Ministry’s Space Department and IAI’s Space Division were continuing a series of pre-planned checks before the satellite enters full operational service in the near future. Responsibility for operating it will then be transferred to the IDF’s Unit 9900, which specializes in VISINT, or visual intelligence.
The launch, carried out in cooperation with the IDF and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), was attended by Katz, President Isaac Herzog, Defense Ministry Director General Amir Baram, head of Defense Research & Development at the Defense Ministry Danny Gold, and IAI CEO Boaz Levy.
Herzog hailed the launch as proof of Israel’s innovation: “We are not only a Start-Up Nation, we are a Space Nation. Israel must be in space — that is where the future of humanity lies, and it holds the most important strategic capabilities… This is yet another proof that we are a unique and exceptional people — there is no country like Israel.”
Katz called the launch “a moment of immense national pride,” saying that the “Ofek-19” represents “another layer of Israel’s strength even in the third circle [long-range threats], and expresses the advanced capabilities of the Ministry of Defense, the IDF, and IAI… Israel continues to soar, to lead, and to ensure our security with pride and strength.”
Baram said the “Ofek-19” would serve as a “significant force multiplier” for the defense establishment, noting that “modern warfare also takes place in space” and that Israel plans to invest billions of shekels over the next decade into building a “constellation of satellites.”
Levy emphasized the satellite’s day-and-night radar imaging capabilities, saying these were “more essential today, particularly following Operation Rising Lion, which highlighted… that advanced observation abilities in our region are critical for achieving both air and ground superiority,” he said, referring to the brief war between Israel and Iran in June.
Earlier, Levy told Channel 13 that the satellite “will give Israel important eyes in space” and explained that it can photograph objects smaller than 50 centimeters across, day or night.
The project was developed by IAI, with contributions from its Systems, Missiles, and Space Group, the ELTA Group, and IAI’s MLM Division. The rocket engines were produced in collaboration with Tomer Ltd. and Rafael Advanced Defense Systems.
The launch is part of an ongoing program led by the Defense Ministry’s Defense Research and Development Directorate, in cooperation with the IDF, including Unit 9900 of the Intelligence Directorate and the Israeli Air Force.
“Ofek-19” follows “Ofek-13,” which was launched in March 2023, continuing Israel’s efforts to maintain advanced space-based observation capabilities, the ministry noted.