Ofeq
| Industry | Aerospace, Defense, Satellite Reconnaissance |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1988 |
| Headquarters | Israel |
Area served | Israel, Middle East |
| Products | Reconnaissance satellites |
| Parent | Israel Aerospace Industries |
Ofeq, alternatively spelled Offek or Ofek (, meaning Horizon), represents a series of Israeli reconnaissance satellites initially deployed in 1988. The majority of Ofeq satellites are launched using Shavit launch vehicles from Palmachim Airbase, situated on Israel's Mediterranean coastline. These satellites operate in low Earth orbit, completing a full revolution around the planet roughly every 90 minutes.
The development of the Ofeq program established Israel as the eighth country to achieve independent satellite launch capabilities. Both the satellites and their launch systems are engineered and manufactured by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), while the optical payloads are provided by Elbit Systems' El-Op division.
Description
Although specific technical specifications remain undisclosed, Ofeq satellites generally function for 1 to 3 years and are equipped with imaging sensors that capture ultraviolet and visible light, except for Ofeq-8 and Ofeq-10, which utilize synthetic-aperture radar (SAR) technology to enable reconnaissance regardless of weather conditions or time of day. The estimated imaging resolution for Ofeq-5 is approximately 80 centimeters.
In contrast to most satellites that launch eastward to take advantage of Earth's rotational velocity, Ofeq satellites are propelled westward into retrograde orbits over the Mediterranean Sea. This approach avoids flying over densely populated regions and prevents spent rocket stages from falling on land. Other Israeli satellite series, such as AMOS, are launched from international locations.
Orbital characteristics
Ofeq satellites follow a retrograde orbit with an inclination near 143°, specifically optimized to provide daylight observation coverage over the Middle East. By comparison, reconnaissance satellites from the United States and Russia typically utilize near-polar Sun-synchronous orbits, which offer more frequent daily passes but fewer directly over Israel.
Launching westward from Palmachim Airbase, located at 31.88°N latitude, demands extra propellant to counteract Earth's eastward rotation speed of about 1,420 km/h. However, this retrograde trajectory increases the relative velocity over the surface and enhances the number of passes above Israel—approximately six daylight passes daily compared to one or two for standard Sun-synchronous orbits.
Since its deployment in 2002, Ofeq-5's orbital inclination of 143.4° remains the steepest among man-made Earth satellites.
Satellite List
| Designation | Type | Launch Date | Carrier Rocket | End of Mission Date | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ofeq-1 | Experimental | September 19, 1988 | Shavit-1 | January, 1989 | ||
| Ofeq-2 | Experimental | April 23, 1990 | Shavit-1 | July, 1990 | ||
| Ofeq-3 | IMINT | September 15, 1994 | Shavit-1 | October, 1996 | Israel's inaugural operational IMINT satellite | |
| Ofeq-4 | IMINT | January 22, 1998 | Shavit-1 | Launch Failure | Failed to reach orbit | |
| Ofeq-5 | IMINT | May 28, 2002 | Shavit-1 | February 21, 2024 | Next-generation IMINT platform | |
| Ofeq-6 | IMINT | September 6, 2004 | Shavit-1 | Launch Failure | Crashed into Mediterranean Sea after launch | |
| Ofeq-7 | Reconnaissance | June 10, 2007 | Shavit-2 | In Orbit | First mission utilizing Shavit-2 rocket | |
| Ofeq-8 | TecSAR-1 | January 21, 2008 | Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle | In Orbit | Possibly de-orbited on July 3, 2024. | |
| Ofeq-9 | Reconnaissance | June 22, 2010 | Shavit-2 | In Orbit | ||
| Ofeq-10 | TecSAR-2 | April 9, 2014 | Shavit-2 | In Orbit | ||
| Ofeq-11 | IMINT | September 13, 2016 | Shavit-2 | June 29, 2024 | 'Jupiter' High-Resolution Imaging System equipped. | |
| Ofeq-16 | IMINT | July 6, 2020 | Shavit-2 | In Orbit | ||
| Ofeq-13 | TecSAR-3 | March 28, 2023 | Shavit-2 | In Orbit | ||
| Ofeq-19 | TecSAR-4 | September 2, 2025 | Shavit-2 | In Orbit |