The Administration for the Development of Weapons and Technological Infrastructure at the Ministry of Defense, the Israel Defense Forces, and Israel Aerospace Industries launched the “Ofek 13” satellite into space at 2:10 a.m. on Wednesday morning.
The launch was carried out using a Shavit-type satellite launcher from an experimental field in central Israel.
The Ofek 13 satellite is a radar observation satellite with advanced capabilities. Upon entering orbit around the Earth, the satellite will undergo a series of tests designed to verify its integrity and level of performance.
The development and production of the satellite and the launcher were led by the Ministry of Defense, through the Administration for the Development of Weapons and Technological Infrastructure. Various parties from the IDF are involved in the development, including Unit 9900 in the Intelligence Division and the Air Force.