Ofeq-9, also known as Ofek 9 ("Horizon in Hebrew), is part of the

Ofeq Ofeq, also spelled Offek or Ofek ( he, אופק, ''lit.'' Horizon) is the designation of a series of Israeli reconnaissance satellites first launched in 1988. Most Ofeq satellites have been carried on top of Shavit 2 launch vehicles from Palma ...

family of reconnaissance satellites designed and built by

Israel Aerospace Industries Israel Aerospace Industries (Hebrew: התעשייה האווירית לישראל ''ha-ta'asiya ha-avirit le-yisra'el'') or IAI (תע"א) is Israel's major aerospace and aviation manufacturer, producing aerial and astronautic systems for both mi ...

(IAI) for the Israeli Ministry of Defense.

Launch

It was launched on 22 June 2010, at 19:00 UTC, from Palmachim Air Baise in

Israel Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...

. It was delivered using an improved version of the

Shavit Shavit ( he, שביט, link=no, meaning ''comet'') may refer to: People Surname * Ari Shavit (born 1957), Israeli reporter and writer * Bradley Shavit Artson (born 1959), American rabbi * Dorit Shavit (born 1949), Israeli ambassador * Edna Sh ...

launcher.

Mission

The payload is believed to be the multi-spectral "Jupiter" space camera produced by

El-Op Elbit Systems Ltd. is an Israel-based international defense electronics company engaged in a wide range of programs throughout the world. The company, which includes Elbit Systems and its subsidiaries, operates in the areas of aerospace, land ...

. While precise imaging capabilities remain classified, sources say that like the still operating

Ofeq-5 Ofeq, also spelled Offek or Ofek ( he, אופק, ''lit.'' Horizon) is the designation of a series of Israeli reconnaissance satellites first launched in 1988. Most Ofeq satellites have been carried on top of Shavit 2 launch vehicles from Palma ...

and

Ofeq-7 Ofeq-7, (also known as Ofek 7 or Offek-7), is part of the Ofeq family of Earth observation satellites designed and built by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) for the Israel Ministry of Defense. Launch The Ofeq-7 was launched by a Shavit ...

, Ofeq-9 offers a resolution "much better than" a half-meter. The satellite was also said to be able to detect objects being carried by people. The satellite operates in a retrograde

low Earth orbit A low Earth orbit (LEO) is an orbit around Earth with a period of 128 minutes or less (making at least 11.25 orbits per day) and an eccentricity less than 0.25. Most of the artificial objects in outer space are in LEO, with an altitude never mor ...

References

Reconnaissance satellites of Israel Spacecraft launched by Shavit rockets Spacecraft launched in 2010 2010 in Israel IAI satellites {{spacecraft-stub