Space
Israel
Space launch site(s)
Palmachim Airbase (Central district) (2025)
Space agency/agencies
The Israel Space Agency (ISA), which was founded in 1983 under the auspices of the Ministry of Science and Technology, traces its origins back to the establishment of a National Committee for Space Research in 1960. Additionally, the Ministry of Defense Space Department was created in 2025.
Space program overview
Israel maintains an ambitious space program recognized as one of the most sophisticated in the region. It engages in the design, construction, operation, and launch of communications satellites, remote sensing (RS) satellites, and scientific satellites. Furthermore, Israel designs, builds, and operates orbital satellite and space launch vehicles (SLVs). The country is also involved in research and development of various space-related technologies, emphasizing lightweight and miniaturized systems. Israel has established relationships with numerous international space agencies and industries, including those from Canada, the European Space Agency (ESA), specific ESA member countries such as France, Germany, and Italy, as well as India, Japan, Mexico, and the United States. The nation boasts a significant commercial space sector alongside state-owned enterprises as of 2025.
Key space-program milestones
1961 - The initial sounding rocket was launched.
1988 - The first operational launch of a small-lift satellite launch vehicle (SLV), known as Shavit, successfully placed the first domestically produced technology-demonstrator satellite (Ofeq-1) into orbit.
1995 - The first fully operational remote sensing satellite (Ofeq-3) was launched using the Shavit SLV.
2007 - The Shavit-2, a small-lift 3-stage SLV, was revealed.
2014 - Israel became a participant in the ESA’s Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE) project; a domestically constructed lunar probe (Beresheet) was launched by the US, but it ultimately crashed on the Moon’s surface.
2022 - Israel joined the US Artemis Moon exploration initiative.