Israel Launches New Spy Satellite

Israel has placed a new military intelligence satellite into orbit, marking another step in its long-running Ofek reconnaissance program. The Ministry of Defense confirmed that the Ofek 19 satellite was launched successfully on September 2, 2025, at 22:30 local time, aboard a Shavit 2 launch vehicle. Officials said the satellite entered its designated orbit, transmitted first signals, and passed initial operational tests.

Unlike earlier optical imaging satellites, Ofek 19 is equipped with an X-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), allowing it to capture high-resolution imagery day or night, and in any weather condition. According to the Israeli military, the system is designed to monitor threats across the region, including Iran, and to bolster Israel’s military presence in space—an increasingly critical domain of modern warfare.

The satellite will be operated by Unit 9900, the visual intelligence division of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), responsible for all space-based imagery and analysis.

Ofek 19 Satellite

Open-source specifications place Ofek 19’s weight at 400–500 kilograms, with solar panels generating 700–1200 watts of power. It was launched into a retrograde orbit at an altitude of 450–600 kilometres, circling Earth roughly every 90 minutes.

As Israel’s fourth radar satellite—after Ofek 8, 10, and 13—it expands the country’s ability to conduct target detection, change monitoring, maritime surveillance, and infrastructure tracking. Analysts note its importance for detecting mobile missile systems in countries such as Iran and Yemen.

The satellite can operate in three distinct radar modes:

• Spotlight: ultra-fine resolution of 0.3–1 meter
• Stripmap: medium resolution of 1–3 meters
• ScanSAR: wide-area coverage at 3–10 meters

The Ofek Satellite Family

Israel becomes one of the few countries to develop its own space-based intelligence capability with the launch of the Ofek program in 1988. The Ofek satellite family consists of reconnaissance satellites designed to meet the country’s defense and security needs. A total of 14 satellites have been launched so far, with 2 failing to reach orbit due to launch malfunctions. Out of the 12 satellites that reach orbit, 7 are currently active and operated by Unit 9900 of the Israeli military.

The Ofek family includes different types of satellites using electro-optical and synthetic aperture radar technologies. Some provide high-resolution imagery with optical sensors, while those with SAR technology can observe even in cloudy and dark conditions. Israel aims to maintain multiple satellites in orbit at the same time to create a “satellite constellation.” The main purpose of this strategy is to increase revisit frequency over the Middle East and surrounding regions, significantly reducing the waiting time needed to image a specific area. This enables faster access to operationally required intelligence.

Another feature that differentiates the Ofek satellite family from other reconnaissance and imaging satellites is that all Ofek satellites are launched westward into retrograde orbit, against Earth’s rotation.

Due to its geographic location, launching eastward into a prograde orbit from Palmachim would mean that empty rocket stages, or possibly the satellite itself in case of failure, could fall over the territories of Iran, Syria, Jordan, and Iraq. Israel considers this politically and militarily unacceptable.

For this reason, Israel conducts launches westward so that empty stages fall into the Mediterranean Sea. However, this choice prevents the rockets from benefiting from Earth’s natural rotational boost, requiring more thrust and fuel. Open-source assessments state that this choice brings an additional fuel and indirect performance cost of around 30 percent.