\<COLOUR 1> LAUNCH DATE: \<COLOUR 0> September 19, 1988
\<COLOUR 1> LAUNCH SITE: \<COLOUR 0> Palmachim Air Force Base, near Tel Aviv
\<COLOUR 1> LAUNCH VEHICLE: \<COLOUR 0> Shavit
\<COLOUR 1> ORBIT: \<COLOUR 0> 248/1,147 km
\<COLOUR 1> SIZE: \<COLOUR 0> Octagonal prism, 2.3 metres long, up to 1.2 metres diameter
\<COLOUR 1> WEIGHT: \<COLOUR 0> 156 kg
\<COLOUR 1> COUNTRY: \<COLOUR 0> Israel
\<COLOUR 1> COMMENTS: \<COLOUR 0> The first satellite (Offeq means Horizon) launched by Israel, which becomes the world's eighth space nation; it is the first satellite to orbit east to west, because it has to be launched away from populated areas over the Mediterranean Sea; the slightly heavier Offeq 2 goes into orbit on April 3, 1990.