However, only at approximately four in the morning, we will be able to know whether the satellite successfully separated from the upper stage of the missile.
Update - 08:30: Yossi Weiss, CEO of the Air Industry, reports from the launch site in Baikonur: "The launch process of the Amos 4 communication satellite appears to be normal. Around six o'clock in the morning, the satellite was successfully separated from the launcher, its systems began to operate. The satellite is in continuous contact with the ground station." (See also an interview that took place after the launch with the director of the space plant at the Israel Defense Forces, Ofer Darvan, who told about the unique technology of the satellite)
A "Zenit-2SB" model missile carrying the Israeli communication satellite Amos-4 was launched this evening (23:05 p.m. Israel time) from the Baikonur launch center in Kashstan, exactly at the prearranged time. The launch was carried out by the ground launch division of the Sea Launch company. About six hours after the launch, it will separate The satellite from the upper stage of the rocket.
With the end of the launch, the satellite will continue its journey for about two more weeks to the sky point 67.25 degrees East at an altitude of about 36,000 km. The satellite will operate at this point in the sky for several months, during which, among other things, the various systems will be tested (In Orbit Tests). After that, the satellite will move to the sky point 65 degrees east where it will continue its commercial activity.
The Amos-4 satellite produced by the Israel Aerospace Industries Ltd. (IAI) is designed to provide satellite services, VSAT multi-channel television directly to homes and broadband Internet services to the territory of Russia, as well as to the countries of the Middle East, South Asia and Central Asia.
Amos is part of a series of Israeli communications satellites operated by Halal Communications. The Amos-1, Amos-2, Amos-3 and Amos-4 satellites were developed by the Israeli Aerospace Industry for Israel. The Communications Space Company currently operates the Amos 2,3 satellites (which are manufactured in Russia), and these days the aerospace industry is producing the Amos 5 satellite which will be launched in 6 by the private American Falcon 2015 rocket of the SpaceX company and will replace the Amos 9 which will end its life.
The Minister of Science, Technology and Space Yaakov Perry said following the launch that he is talking about another milestone in the path that Israel has set before it - entry into the list of the five leading countries in the field of space.
