Latest news with #Amos-6
Time of India
3 days ago
- Science
- Time of India
Israel launches communications satellite from Florida
Jerusalem: Israel on Sunday said it had launched a new national communications satellite on board a SpaceX rocket from the United States. The Dror 1 satellite was blasted into orbit on a Falcon 9 from Cape Canaveral in Florida, Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) and the foreign ministry said. "This $200 million 'smartphone in space' will power Israel's strategic and civilian communications for 15 years," the ministry wrote on X. Accompanying video footage showed the reusable, two-stage rocket lift off into the night sky. SpaceX said the launch happened at 1:04 am in Florida (0504 GMT Sunday). IAI, which called the launch "a historic leap for Israeli space technology", said when it announced the project to develop and build Dror 1 that it was "the most advanced communication satellite ever built in Israel". In September 2016, an unmanned Falcon 9 rocket exploded during a test in Florida, destroying Israel's Amos-6 communications satellite, which was estimated to have cost between $200 and 300 million.
NDTV
3 days ago
- Science
- NDTV
"Smartphone In Space": All About Dror-1, Israel's 'Next Gen' Satellite
Israel has launched its first fully government-funded and domestically built communications satellite, Dror-1, from Cape Canaveral, Florida. The launch, carried out on Sunday aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, is a turning point for Israel's space program. Dror-1 is the most advanced satellite ever developed by Israel. What Is Dror-1? Dror-1 is a geostationary satellite, meaning it orbits at a fixed position approximately 36,000 km above the Earth's equator, maintaining constant coverage over a specific geographic area, as per YNet News. Weighing around 4.5 tonnes (4,500 kg) and measuring 17.8 metres across, Dror-1 is expected to serve Israel's communication needs for the next 15 years, extending its utility into the late 2030s. The project has cost Israel an estimated Rs 1,670 crore since work began in 2018. Features Of Dror-1 Advanced Digital Payload: Includes cutting-edge signal processing technologies. "Space Smartphone" Technology: Enables flexible, software-defined communication capabilities, allowing the satellite to adapt to changing demands during its operational life. Built 100 per cent In Israel: Developed with entirely local technologies to reduce reliance on foreign components or vendors. How Israel's Dror-1 Satellite Works Israel's Dror-1 is a next-generation communications satellite designed for long-term national use, and it operates using a combination of advanced digital systems, geostationary positioning, and flexible reprogrammable payloads. Launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, Dror-1 was inserted into a geostationary transfer orbit (GTO). Within hours of launch, it sent back its first signals. Over the next few weeks, it will use onboard propulsion systems to manoeuvre into its final geostationary orbit, around 36,000 km above Earth, where it will remain fixed over a specific region. This orbit allows Dror-1 to maintain constant communication coverage over Israel and surrounding areas. What makes Dror-1 special is its "smartphone in space" design, meaning it can be reprogrammed from the ground during its 15-year life. It can change communication settings, coverage areas, and signal use based on need. Dror-1 is Israel's first state-owned communications satellite. Until now, Israel's communication satellites, like the Amos series, were built by IAI but owned and operated by the private company Spacecom. That model suffered a major setback in 2016, when Amos-6 was destroyed on the launchpad in a SpaceX explosion. In 2018, the government adopted a long-term national strategy for communications satellites, focusing on domestic production, sovereign control, and strategic independence.
RTÉ News
4 days ago
- Science
- RTÉ News
Israel launches communications satellite from Florida
Israel has said it had launched a new national communications satellite on board a SpaceX rocket from the United States. The Dror 1 satellite was blasted into orbit on a Falcon 9 from Cape Canaveral in Florida, Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) and the foreign ministry said. "This $200 million 'smartphone in space' will power Israel's strategic and civilian communications for 15 years," the ministry wrote on X. Accompanying video footage showed the reusable, two-stage rocket lift off into the night sky. SpaceX said the launch happened at 1.04am in Florida (6.04am Irish time). 🇮🇱📡 Lift-off! Israel's first national communications satellite, Dror 1, just launched aboard a @SpaceX Falcon 9. Built by Israel Aerospace Industries, this $200M "smartphone in space" will power Israel's strategic and civilian communications for 15 years. A bold leap for… — Israel Foreign Ministry (@IsraelMFA) July 13, 2025 IAI, which called the launch "a historic leap for Israeli space technology", said when it announced the project to develop and build Dror 1 that it was "the most advanced communication satellite ever built in Israel". In September 2016, an unmanned Falcon 9 rocket exploded during a test in Florida, destroying Israel's Amos-6 communications satellite, which was estimated to have cost between $200 and 300 million.
