Palmachim Missile Test Site

 missile, artillery, Israel Defense Forces (IDF), spaceport

151st (Missile Testing) Squadron

The Israelis inaugurated Palmachim as an orbital site with the launch of the first Shavit rocket, carrying the Ofeq 1 satellite into Low Earth Orbit (LEO) on 19 September 1988. The facilities are classified, although they are visible from the coast road. Located at the eastern end of the Mediterranean, the site is restricted to retrograde launches due to range safety and security considerations. Although the trajectory still passes over southern Europe, Israel does not launch toward the east, over neighbouring Arab countries.

The Ofeq 5 imaging satellite was successfully launched on 28 May 2002. It is equipped with a high-resolution camera, which is likely to observe military movements inside Iran, Syria and Iraq for Intelligence, Surveillance And Reconnaissance (ISR) purposes.Israeli commercial and research satellites are placed into orbit by launch vehicles outside Israel.

The Palmachim launch facility can accommodate Shavit and LK-1 launch vehicles. Israel launches its Ofeq (also Ofek) satellites from this location.On 6 September 2004, Israel attempted to launch Ofeq 6 from Palmachim, however the launch failed during the third stage, and the remote sensing satellite fell into the Mediterranean Sea near Ashdod. Ofeq 6 was designed to augment intelligence data received from Ofeq 5, and to eventually replace the older satellite, which remains operational.A further launch from Palmachim Air Force Base was the Ofeq 9 satellite on a Shavit-2 on 22 June 2010.

Because of the high speed of the missile and the location of the base, the launch system includes a built-in, fully automatic self-destruct system that is engaged if the missile veers from its planned trajectory. In satellite launches, a safety officer mans the "red button" that activates a self-destruction system in the launcher. The safety officer, an air force reserve pilot and colonel, is selected personally by the chief of the service, the range commander. Palmachim has a fully independent electric supply and 60 generators that go into action when launch time approaches. The upgrade of the base was scheduled to be completed in 2011.

iaf.org.il/4968-36146-he/IAF.aspx
he.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D7%99%D7%97%D7%99%D7%93%D7%AA_%D...
articles.janes.com/articles/Janes-Space-Systems-and-Ind...
www.flightglobal.com/articles/2010/07/05/344030/israel-...
www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/israel/palmachim....