Israel launches new spy satellite into orbit

The Defense Ministry launched the Ofek-11 reconnaissance satellite into orbit from an air force base in central Israel on Tuesday, the ministry said in a statement.

The Israel Aerospace Industries satellite was launched using a Shavit rocket, a locally designed space launch vehicle.

It was shot into space from the Palmachim Air Base, just outside the Tel Aviv suburb of Rishon Lezion, at approximately 5:30 p.m.

The Ofek-11 is an upgrade from the Ofek-10 satellite launched in April 2014. It will join the approximately 10 other satellites, including the Ofek-10, Ofek-9, Ofek-7 and Ofek-5, that feed intelligence to Israel’s security forces.

The Amos-6, Israel’s largest ever satellite, and the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on which it was perched go up in flames after the rocket exploded on the launch pad during a static fire test at a launch facility at Cape Canaveral in Florida on September 1, 2016. (YouTube screen capture)

The satellite launch comes less than two weeks after the civilian Amos-6 communications satellite was destroyed when the SpaceX rocket carrying it exploded on the launchpad in Cape Canaveral, Florida.