Ofeq 1-2

Israeli technology satellite. Ofeq, meaning 'Horizon', was a technology demonstration satellite developed by IAI (Israel Aircraft Industries) for ISA (Israel Space Agency). Technology satellite built by IAI, MBT for ISA, Israel. Launched 1988 - 1990. Used Ofeq-1 Bus.

Israel became the eighth nation to launch an indigenous satellite when Ofeq 1 was placed into a unique retrograde low earth orbit. The full payload was not disclosed but included magnetometers and house-keeping / monitoring equipment. Later satellites with the same name would be operational optical surveillance satellites.

The only malfunction in Ofeq-1 was in telemetry memory; the computer switched to backup. Expected life was a few weeks but the satellite did not re-enter until January 14 because of a higher than expected orbit.

Announced functions of the satellite were: 1) Experimentation in generation of solar power; 2) Experimentation in transmission reception from space; 3) Verification of system's ability to withstand vacuum and weightless conditions; 4) Data collection on space environment conditions and Earth's magnetic field. The spacecraft was an irregular octagonal prism of conventional aluminum. Mass budget (kg): structure 33, power system 58, computer 7, communications 12, thermal control 5, wiring 9, instrumentation & balance masses 32. Ofeq was spin stabilized at 400 deg/sec, and the 16 solar panels provided 246 W and recharged a 7 Ah NiCd battery; typical consumption was 53 W. S-band telemetry was returned at 2.5 kbit/s from a 128 kbyte memory. Attitude sensing was provided by a 3-axis rate gyro, magnetometer and Sun sensor. Any payload was classified except for the magnetometers and housekeeping monitoring functions.