Israel is quietly developing new space\u2011based capabilities designed to give the country an edge in the next war with Iran, Avi Berger, head of the Space Office at the Defense Ministry\u2019s Directorate of Defense Research & Development (MAFAT) told Defense & Tech by The Jerusalem Post.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Speaking during Israel\u2019s Space Week, Berger said the lessons of recent conflicts have pushed Israel to accelerate innovation in orbit.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe knew right away that we had to build and create new surprises for the next war,\u201d he said. \u201cWhatever was deployed in June won\u2019t be enough next time. The IDF now has new capabilities \u2013 and we can\u2019t forget that the enemy will be different next time around, too.\u201d<\/p>\n
Six months after Israel\u2019s Rising Lion and America\u2019s Operation Midnight Hammer, tensions in the Middle East are once again at an all-time high, driven by US military deployments and Iran\u2019s murderous crackdown on protesters.<\/p>\n
Israel\u2019s space capabilities play a key role in the Jewish state\u2019s strategic military capabilities. They are a real \u201ceye in the sky,\u201d keeping a close watch on Israel\u2019s enemies from afar, 24\/7.<\/p>\n
Elbit Systems’ JUPITER space camera launches aboard the NAOS Satellite aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. (credit: ELBIT SYSTEMS)Space as Israel\u2019s operational backbone<\/p>\n
Israel first forayed into space 45 years ago to retain an early-warning capability along the border with Egypt. Since then, Israel has joined the prestigious space club and is one of only 13 countries with indigenous launching capabilities.<\/p>\n
For Israel, the launch alone is a great achievement. It is carried out to the west, against the rotation of the Earth, so that its trajectory takes it out over the Mediterranean Sea, thus avoiding enemy territory during the launch period.<\/p>\n
The satellite technology, as well as the launcher, which according to some reports launches the Jericho ballistic missile and can place up to 380 kilograms into orbit, is not something Israel wants falling into enemy hands. The electro-optical reconnaissance satellite with advanced capabilities is also a feat of engineering, would be a gem of intelligence should it be obtained by countries like Iran. That would, of course, be a disaster for Israel.<\/p>\n
As a result of launching westward, Israeli satellites operate in retrograde orbits and decrease the launcher\u2019s payload capacity, as it requires more thrust to place the satellite into orbit compared to it flying eastwards.<\/p>\n
Berger emphasized that Israel\u2019s presence in space is driven by necessity. The shock of October 7 accelerated this shift when the state understood that the country was dealing with seven active fronts.<\/p>\n
\u00a0\u201cWe are in space for Israel\u2019s and the IDF\u2019s operational needs,\u201d he said, adding that satellite constellations now form the backbone of the country\u2019s intelligence\u2011gathering<\/a> architecture.<\/p>\n \u201cA single constellation can cover everything from Gaza to Iran. It doesn\u2019t matter which front ignites \u2013 you have intelligence.\u201d<\/p>\n These constellations generate gigabytes of imagery across the Middle East, enabling real\u2011time data extraction and rapid retasking of satellites. \u201cAll of this is powered by what I call \u2018AI on steroids,\u2019\u201d he added.<\/p>\n Though Iran and its nuclear and ballistic missile projects are of top concern for Israel, the advanced satellites have likely monitored much more than that, such as Iran\u2019s malign activity throughout the Middle East, including the trafficking of weapons to Hezbollah, as well as to the Houthis in Yemen.<\/p>\n Last year, Berger said that the June war with Iran<\/a> had underscored the critical need for space superiority.<\/p>\n \u201cThe war with Iran has further sharpened our understanding that we must dramatically increase investment in developing and maintaining Israeli superiority over our adversaries in space,\u201d he said, in August, at the DDR&D-led International DefenseTech Summit, organized in collaboration with the Yuval Ne’eman workshop for Science, Technology & Security at Tel Aviv University.<\/p>\n Berger added that \u201cin accordance with the ministry’s strategy, our objective for the coming years is that Israeli space capabilities will be present at every point in the Middle East, collecting intelligence and providing alerts around the clock and in all weather conditions. Space is a decisive component in ensuring the IDF’s freedom of action.\u201d<\/p>\n The Israeli satellite constellation was a \u201cfull partner\u201d in all operational activity \u201cbefore, during, and after Operation Rising Lion [with Iran],\u201d he said, explaining that \u201cOver the 12 days of war, we collected tens of millions of square kilometers of extremely high-quality imagery, day and night. Targets were built in real time, and critical communications were provided with high availability to support strike operations discreetly and without risking our forces.\u201d<\/p>\n A changing global space battlefield<\/p>\n Since the establishment of the Outer Space Treaty in 1967, space was understood to be of no one country\u2019s domain and that its use and exploration should be for peaceful purposes.<\/p>\n \u201cSpace should be accessible to all countries and can be freely and scientifically investigated,\u201d the treaty reads.<\/p>\n Space has become crucial in the modern world, and Berger told D&T that the global space environment has transformed dramatically in the past decade.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cElon Musk\u2019s entry into the space sector changed everything,\u201d he said. \u201cSpace became more accessible.\u201d<\/p>\n The war in Ukraine has further blurred the lines between civilian and military space assets. Systems such as Starlink and Maxar demonstrated how commercial platforms can shape battlefield outcomes. \u201cNations that can\u2019t reach space themselves suddenly realized how vulnerable they are.\u201d<\/p>\n But, he warned that the world, including Israel, must prepare for threats from major powers.<\/p>\n \u201cRussia and China are active in space, and the moment they choose to use those capabilities, whatever they target is at risk.\u201d<\/p>\n Building Israel\u2019s space economy<\/p>\n Innovation, Science and Technology Minister Gila Gamliel echoed Berger\u2019s assessment, framing space as both a security necessity and a strategic opportunity.<\/p>\n \u201cSpace has become a new line of defense,\u201d she said at the opening conference of Space Week.<\/p>\n She pointed to Operation Rising Lion, Israel\u2019s strike on Iranian nuclear facilities, as the first conflict in which satellites played a decisive role from start to finish.<\/p>\n \u201cWe proved our leadership in space innovation for security needs.\u201d<\/p>\n Gamliel highlighted Israel\u2019s growing international partnerships, including a decade\u2011long cooperation agreement with NASA and participation in the Artemis lunar program.<\/p>\n \u201cIsrael is proud to work alongside NASA, selecting Israeli companies to contribute to humanity\u2019s return to the Moon,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n The ministry also signed new space agreements with Azerbaijan and Hungary and is actively seeking Israel\u2019s first female astronaut. \u201cShe will inspire a new generation of Israeli girls, and boys, to pursue scientific and technological careers.\u201d<\/p>\n Today there are over 90 countries and dozens of private commercial companies operating in space.<\/p>\n According to The State of the Israeli Space Industry 2026 report published by Startup Nation Central during Israel Space Week, Israel\u2019s space sector is evolving from a closed, defense-centric field into one that is more oriented toward the dual-use commercial sector.<\/p>\n