The satellite was launched during the night from the center of the country by means of a satellite launcher • "The satellites allow us to look everywhere in the Middle East"
On Monday, the Ministry of Defense issued a record of the "Horizon 16" satellite launch. The Israeli satellite was launched during the night, at 04:00, from a field experiment in the center of the country using a "comet" satellite launcher.
Satellite launch "Horizon 16" // Photo: Ministry of Defense spokeswoman and information
It is an advanced electrooptic observation satellite, and as it enters orbit around the Earth, the satellite will undergo a series of tests designed to verify its integrity and performance.
Israel is considered to be one of the only countries capable of launching satellites into space, with the first satellite of the Horizon series launched by Israel in 1988. Today, there are five satellites in the space series, to which Horizon 16 is expected to join.
Head of Space Director Amnon Harari said after the launch: "While the threats to the State of Israel are many and varied, the satellites are ideally responding to staying in space all the time, and if there are several such satellites it gives a good indication. Horizon 5 we launched in 2002 also serves us faithfully" .
Aerospace Operations Manager Shlomi Sodri added: "This is an electro-optical observation satellite. It enhances groundbreaking capabilities and enhances technological capabilities. Preparations for launching the satellite were at the peak of the Corona. The mission has been defined as strategic.
"Horizon's orbit will be similar to its previous satellites. It will be very similar to Horizon 11 in terms of performance. Optical satellite only. It has slight improvements, but its performance is very advanced in relation to satellites of this type in the world. The order of the satellite forces allows us to look at all A place in the Middle East and beyond and a threat site. "
The State of Israel was the seventh country in the world to reach full capacity in space (launch and satellite), and currently Israel is one of 13 countries with this capability, alongside the US, Russia, China, France, Italy, Britain, India, South and North Korea, Japan, Ukraine and Iran.