Israel became the 8th independent nation to enter the space age when it launched Ofeq 1 on September 19. 1988. It was the first in a series of reconnaissance satellites designed and manufactured by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI). They are launched from an airbase on Israel's Mediterranean coast. Israel is the sixth nation to launch rockets from its own country.
The most recent launch of an Ofeq satellite was Ofeq 11 on September 13, 2016.
