A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying Israel’s first spacecraft designed to land on the moon is prepared for launch on the first privately-funded lunar mission at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Cape Canaveral, Florida, U.S., February 21, 2019. REUTERS/Joe Skipper

i24News – SpaceX successfully launched an Israeli Earth-imaging satellite into space overnight between Thursday and Friday.

It was the 61st and final launch of the year for the US-based spacecraft engineering corporation headed by tech billionaire Elon Musk. The launch of the EROS C-3 satellite mission on a Falcon 9 rocket took place at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.

Shortly after liftoff, the deployment of the EROS C-3 satellite was confirmed.

Deployment of @ImageSatIntl EROS C-3 confirmed pic.twitter.com/J7KORv5lha

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) December 30, 2022

The advanced observation satellite from Israel-based remote sensing company ImageSat International (ISI) will be used for military intelligence and security purposes, and is considered another major step forward for Israel’s place in the global space industry. ISI is the largest space company in Israel, operating a constellation of high resolution satellites providing accurate imaging worldwide.

“We provide satellite imagery to customers around the world — some are commercial customers, and others are defense customers — we provide these services worldwide to various applications, from disaster management to agriculture and real estate,” Ehud Hayun, senior director for satellite and ground systems at ISI, told i24News.

Israeli technology was also onboard the first integrated test of NASA’s Orion spacecraft called the Artemis I mission, according to the Israel Space Agency. The Artemis 1 launch took place on Nov. 18.

The Artemis 1 crew consists of mannequins named Zohar and Helga. Zohar is wearing an AstroRad radiation protection vest developed by the Israeli company StemRad. The vest is meant to protect astronauts from harmful radiation and cosmic rays in space.

“We are honored to be one of the very few countries that have managed to introduce original technology for Artemis I. The fact that the Israeli flag will wave on top of Zohar’s suit in space fills us with pride,” the Israel Space Agency said.