Israel has had a thriving, if low-key, space program for two decades. The Israel Space Agency was established in 1983 to nurture and oversee industrial and scientific programs that would pave the way for an indigenous space program.
Israel concentrated its efforts on developing a small expendable launcher, which was based on its Jericho 2 medium-range ballistic missile, and pioneering a series of small but powerful remote sensing satellites.
The Shavit, which means “comet” in Hebrew, is a 59-foot long, three-stage, solid-fuel rocket designed to carry payloads weighing about 700 pounds into orbits roughly 300 miles above the planet. To avoid dropping spent rocket segments on neighboring countries, Israel launches its spacecraft against the planet’s easterly rotational spin from a coastal launch site south of Tel Aviv.
The Shavit has a mixed track record, with two of six flights failing to deliver their payloads into the proper orbit.
Israel Aircraft Industries, which manufactures and operates the Shavit program for the Israel Space Agency, has formed partnerships to market commercial versions of the Shavit booster. Efforts have been hampered, however, by a worldwide glut of launch vehicles and a shortage of satellites needing rides to orbit.
“Work is proceeding, but slowly,” says Rick Kelley, with Orlando-based Coleman Aerospace.
Israel has had more success parlaying its small satellite programs into commercial venues. Israel Aircraft Industries’ Ofeq spacecraft, a remote sensing eye-in-the-sky used by the country’s military agencies, has a civilian cousin called the Earth Resources Observation Satellite.
A more powerful spacecraft, EROS-B, is scheduled for launch in 2004. Israel plans to grow the constellation to eight spacecraft.