Israel has launched a military reconnaissance satellite called Ofeq 16 (Ofek 16) at 0100 GMT on 6 July 2020 from its Palmachim launch site using its Shavit solid rocket launch vehicle westward, given its overflight launch restrictions, into a retrograde low Earth orbit. The spacecraft is reported to be capable of 0.5 m resolution imagery and is based on the Optsat 3000 bus built by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI). The satellite is just the latest in a long line of Ofeq reconnaissance satellites. It has been reported that South Korea is reportedly considering buying or leasing the imagery of the earlier Ofeq 11 (Ofek 11) satellite to obtain observe North Korean activities.
