On Way to Full Operational Capabilities, Israel Receives First Images from New Spy Satellite
15 July, 2020 |
4 years ago
Jerusalem, 15 July, 2020 (TPS) -- Israel’s security industry has received on Tuesday the first images from its new espionage satellite, another crucial step toward declaring fully operational.
One week following the successful launch of the Ofek 16 satellite into space, the engineering teams of the Space Administration in the Directorate of Defense Research and Development (DDR&D), of the Israel Ministry of Defense (IMoD), and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), have operated the satellite’s observation camera for the first time.
The high-quality images were received overnight, at an IAI control station in the city of Yehud in central Israel.
Since the launch last Monday, IAI and IMoD teams have conducted a series of pre-planned tests during which all of the satellite’s systems and subsystems were activated in a gradual and controlled manner.
Upon completion of the process, the satellite’s camera was also activated successfully. In the coming weeks, engineering teams will complete the rigorous tests and prepare the satellite for operational use.
Head of the Space and Satellite Administration in the Israel Ministry of Defense, Amnon Harari stated that this stage was “the most significant milestone since the launch of the Ofek 16 satellite. The images we received from the satellite are of excellent quality.”
“We will continue the orderly process of transferring the satellite to operational use, anticipating that over the years, the system will provide great intelligence to the defense establishment,” he added.
The Ofek 16 satellite is an electro-optical observation satellite with advanced capabilities. It is equipped with a high-quality camera developed and manufactured by Elbit Systems. In the coming weeks, following the completion of the in-orbit testing process conducted by the DDR&D, IAI and the IDF, the Ministry of Defense will transfer responsibilities to Unit 9900 of the IDF’s Intelligence Corps, after which the satellite will be declared operational.
