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International Space Flight (ESA, Russia, China and others) => Other Launchers (Korean, Brazilian etc.) => Topic started by: chewi on 09/13/2016 04:23 pm

Title: Ofeq 11 - Shavit-2 - September 13, 2016
Post by: chewi on 09/13/2016 04:23 pm
Israel’s most advanced reconnaissance satellite Ofeq 11 launched into space
http://www.jerusalemonline.com/news/politics-and-military/military/israels-ofeq-11-satellite-launched-into-space-23599

The Israeli Defense Ministry and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) launched the Ofeq 11 satellite – the most advanced reconnaissance satellite developed by the IAI - from Palmachim Air Base this evening (Tuesday). The Ofeq 11, whose objective is to collect critical intelligence, is Israel’s fifth reconnaissance satellite in space.

The Israeli security industries, the Defense Ministry and the IAI are all waiting in suspense to see that the launching was successful and that the satellite is fully functioning following the explosion that occurred two weeks ago during the launch of Israel’s Amos-6 communications satellite in the U.S.
Title: Re: Ofeq 11 - Shavit-2 (?) - September 13, 2016
Post by: Galactic Penguin SST on 09/13/2016 04:37 pm
Launch was apparently at 14:38 UTC.
Title: Re: Ofeq 11 - Shavit-2 (?) - September 13, 2016
Post by: Phillip Clark on 09/13/2016 04:44 pm
I assume that this is a new optical reconnaissance satellite rather than a radar TecSAR payload.   The first use of the new OpSAR-3000 platform for the optical series?

And yesterday I finalised the proofs for my latest paper detailing the Israeli reconnaissance satellite programme for the Space Chronicle series of the Journal of the British Interplanetary Society!   To late to update now.

Don't expect TLEs from Space-Track - Ofeq TLEs have been classified since 2011.
Title: Re: Ofeq 11 - Shavit-2 (?) - September 13, 2016
Post by: Targeteer on 09/13/2016 05:30 pm
No NOTAMs for the launch? Have the Israelis released them in the past?
Title: Re: Ofeq 11 - Shavit-2 (?) - September 13, 2016
Post by: russianhalo117 on 09/13/2016 05:35 pm
No NOTAMs for the launch? Have the Israelis released them in the past?
no because the rocket launches out of a permanent GND-UNL Civilian no fly zone so no need to update the public.
Title: Re: Ofeq 11 - Shavit-2 (?) - September 13, 2016
Post by: Targeteer on 09/13/2016 05:42 pm
Based on my amateur analysis of Ofeq TLEs and the passes over Israel this morning on Heaven's Above, a replacement for Ofeq 9 seems likely and logical due to its age.    I think I have the UTC offset correct but maybe not...
Title: Re: Ofeq 11 - Shavit-2 (?) - September 13, 2016
Post by: gosnold on 09/13/2016 06:12 pm
I assume that this is a new optical reconnaissance satellite rather than a radar TecSAR payload.   The first use of the new OpSAR-3000 platform for the optical series?

And yesterday I finalised the proofs for my latest paper detailing the Israeli reconnaissance satellite programme for the Space Chronicle series of the Journal of the British Interplanetary Society!   To late to update now.

Don't expect TLEs from Space-Track - Ofeq TLEs have been classified since 2011.

Would you mind posting an update here when it is published? I look forward to reading your article.
Title: Re: Ofeq 11 - Shavit-2 (?) - September 13, 2016
Post by: Satori on 09/13/2016 06:30 pm
According to the Haaretz, there may be some technical problems with the new satellite: http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/1.741864

After the satellite was sent into orbit and as it flew over Israel, readings were received that may indicate problems, officials said.

Ofer Doron, aerospace chief for the Israel Aircraft Industries, said "there are a few matters that don't seem routine, but the process of diagnosing the satellite's situation is continuing."  

The Ofek 11 was launched from the Palmahim air base, south of Tel Aviv, at 5:30 P.M. as surveillance aircraft patrolled the nearby Mediterrean skies.
Title: Re: Ofeq 11 - Shavit-2 (?) - September 13, 2016
Post by: Satori on 09/13/2016 06:51 pm
From Arutz Sheva 7, (http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/217741)...

Amnon Harari, head of the space department in the Defense Ministry, said: "We made contact with the satellite, we know it entered its orbit going around the earth every hour and a half.

"We are in continued contact with the satellite and are monitoring its condition. There are indications of some things that aren't working as we expected. We're trying to stabilize it, and this will take a few days," Harari explained.
Title: Re: Ofeq 11 - Shavit-2 (?) - September 13, 2016
Post by: Comet on 09/13/2016 07:02 pm
Title: Re: Ofeq 11 - Shavit-2 (?) - September 13, 2016
Post by: Comet on 09/13/2016 07:15 pm
Official logo
Title: Re: Ofeq 11 - Shavit-2 (?) - September 13, 2016
Post by: Comet on 09/13/2016 07:32 pm
Pre launch pictures of Shavit SLV with Ofek 11:
Title: Re: Ofeq 11 - Shavit-2 (?) - September 13, 2016
Post by: Comet on 09/13/2016 07:37 pm
Title: Re: Ofeq 11 - Shavit-2 (?) - September 13, 2016
Post by: Comet on 09/13/2016 07:40 pm
Title: Re: Ofeq 11 - Shavit-2 (?) - September 13, 2016
Post by: Comet on 09/13/2016 07:44 pm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oc3e7JX623k
Title: Re: Ofeq 11 - Shavit-2 (?) - September 13, 2016
Post by: Phillip Clark on 09/13/2016 08:55 pm
If there are problems with the satellite, I wonder if these could be because of the new OpSAT-3000 platform that is being used?   There have not been similar reports of problems with other Israeli satellites that have reached orbit.

Ofeq reconnaissance satellites have always performed a perigee-raising manoeuvre at their first pass through apogee.   Therefore it will be interesting whether Ofeq 11 has successfully performed this manoeuvre, since problems have appeared so soon after orbital injection.
Title: Re: Ofeq 11 - Shavit-2 (?) - September 13, 2016
Post by: Satori on 09/13/2016 09:10 pm
From the Jerusalem online (http://www.jerusalemonline.com/news/politics-and-military/military/israeli-defense-ministry-ofeq-11-satellite-not-working-as-expected-23606)

Mere hours following the Ofeq 11 satellite launch from the Palmachim Air Force Base, Israeli Defense Ministry officials suspect that several of the satellite’s crucial systems are not properly functioning. “The satellite’s first hours are always difficult,” a senior level official said. “There are indications that things are not working as we expected.”
Title: Re: Ofeq 11 - Shavit-2 (?) - September 13, 2016
Post by: Chris Bergin on 09/13/2016 10:09 pm
William's article on the launch and current status!
https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2016/09/israel-launches-ofek-spy-satellite-malfunctions/
Title: Re: Ofeq 11 - Shavit-2 (?) - September 13, 2016
Post by: gwiz on 09/14/2016 09:48 am
If it's the new bus, here's what it looks like:
http://www.iai.co.il/2013/35083-39441-en/BusinessAreas_SpaceSystems_ObservationSatellites.aspx
Title: Re: Ofeq 11 - Shavit-2 - September 13, 2016
Post by: jcm on 09/14/2016 11:24 pm
Launch was apparently at 14:38 UTC.

Source?
Title: Re: Ofeq 11 - Shavit-2 - September 13, 2016
Post by: Galactic Penguin SST on 09/14/2016 11:26 pm
Launch was apparently at 14:38 UTC.

Source?

I was reading the Russians: http://novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/forum/forum12/topic15545/ (http://novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/forum/forum12/topic15545/) at that time. Maybe that turned out to be imprecise?
Title: Re: Ofeq 11 - Shavit-2 - September 13, 2016
Post by: mn on 09/15/2016 03:15 pm
Israeli Spy Satellite Ofek 11 Still Shaky Two Days After Space Launch

read more: http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-1.742122 (http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-1.742122)

Quote
Tal Inbar, head of the Space and UAV Research Center at the Fisher Institute for Air & Space Strategic Studies, told Haaretz last night that there were signs that the new satellite was beginning to function, but that it was too early to say whether it could be used as planned
Title: Re: Ofeq 11 - Shavit-2 - September 13, 2016
Post by: jcm on 09/16/2016 12:41 am
Launch was apparently at 14:38 UTC.

Source?

I was reading the Russians: http://novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/forum/forum12/topic15545/ (http://novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/forum/forum12/topic15545/) at that time. Maybe that turned out to be imprecise?

OK, so that leads back to news.ru.co.il which appears to be a real source. Odd that only Russian-language Israeli media seem to have given the time.
Title: Re: Ofeq 11 - Shavit-2 - September 13, 2016
Post by: chewi on 09/16/2016 03:41 am
Odd that only Russian-language Israeli media seem to have given the time.

17:40 (local time) is mentioned here - http://www.hayadan.org.il/ofeq-1-lounched-but-have-oriblems-1309160
Title: Re: Ofeq 11 - Shavit-2 - September 13, 2016
Post by: cwr on 09/16/2016 04:01 am
Launch was apparently at 14:38 UTC.

Source?

I was reading the Russians: http://novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/forum/forum12/topic15545/ (http://novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/forum/forum12/topic15545/) at that time. Maybe that turned out to be imprecise?

OK, so that leads back to news.ru.co.il which appears to be a real source. Odd that only Russian-language Israeli media seem to have given the time.

I've used 14:38 UTC from the NSF thread as liftoff, but I did note that
http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/1.741864

quoted 5:30pm as launch time [presume local time].
At the time, I assumed that it was just an approximation or rounding.

Thanks

Carl
Title: Re: Ofeq 11 - Shavit-2 - September 13, 2016
Post by: Targeteer on 09/16/2016 04:36 pm
For those interested in trying to see the satellite, Ted Molczan has amended his search elements.  http://www.satobs.org/seesat/Sep-2016/0088.html

"Ofeq 11 has been assigned the international designation 2016-056A, and the USSTRATCOM catalogue number 41759"
Title: Re: Ofeq 11 - Shavit-2 - September 13, 2016
Post by: Targeteer on 09/17/2016 10:20 pm
updated search elements based on a possible sighting  http://www.satobs.org/seesat/Sep-2016/0093.html
Title: Re: Ofeq 11 - Shavit-2 - September 13, 2016
Post by: mn on 09/21/2016 07:14 pm
Some of Ofek-11’s problems fixed; Satellite transmits first pictures from space

http://www.jerusalemonline.com/news/in-israel/local/ofek-11-transmits-first-pictures-from-space-23759 (http://www.jerusalemonline.com/news/in-israel/local/ofek-11-transmits-first-pictures-from-space-23759)

Quote
Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) engineers were able to fix some of Ofek-11’s operation system problems, which allowed the country’s newest reconnaissance satellite to transmit its first pictures to the control station

(Bold not in original)
Title: Re: Ofeq 11 - Shavit-2 - September 13, 2016
Post by: mn on 09/22/2016 07:44 pm
Israeli Defense Ministry: “Continuous contact with Ofek-11 has been attained

http://www.jerusalemonline.com/news/politics-and-military/military/defense-ministry-confirms-ofek-11-has-been-stabilized-23799 (http://www.jerusalemonline.com/news/politics-and-military/military/defense-ministry-confirms-ofek-11-has-been-stabilized-23799)

Quote
The Israeli Defense Ministry gave its official confirmation that the Ofek-11 reconnaissance satellite that was launched last week has in fact been stabilized and transmitted first images from space
...
Yesterday, the claims that Ofek-11 transmitted first pictures from space were initially denied but now they have been officially confirmed, as has the fact that continuous contact with the satellite has been achieved

Slightly more clarification since yesterday.
Title: Re: Ofeq 11 - Shavit-2 - September 13, 2016
Post by: Targeteer on 09/22/2016 09:11 pm
From the Israeli Ministry of Defense Facebook page...  https://www.facebook.com/IsraelMOD/?hc_ref=NEWSFEED&fref=nf

A team of engineers and operators from Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) and the Space Administration at the Ministry of Defense's Directorate of Defense Research and Development (DDR&D), operated this evening (September 22) at 17:10, for the first time, the payload of the observation satellite Ofek 11, and successfully downloaded the first pictures from the satellite.
Title: Re: Ofeq 11 - Shavit-2 - September 13, 2016
Post by: wsl2005 on 01/20/2017 07:13 am
Name:          OFEQ 11
Decays:        25 Jan 2017 21:36 UTC (predicted)
Brightness:    Standard magnitude is unknown
                6.5 mag (at 1000 km, 50% illuminated)
USSPACECOM Nr: 41759  Internat. Designator: 2016-056A
Orbit:         300.2 x 346.8 km, 91min  Inclination: 141.9°

http://www.calsky.com/observer//tle.cgi?satid=16056A&lang=en
OFEQ 11                                          350 x 301 km
1 41759U 16056A   17020.23596231  .01305337  68535-3  58733-2 0 91244
2 41759 141.9435  17.7277 0036585  21.3451 338.8071 15.81903845 19171