Elbit Systems
Haifa, Isreal
www.elbitsystems.com
OHB Italia
Milan, Italy
www.ohb-italia.it
The launch of the JUPITER space camera aboard OHB Italia’s NAOS satellite marks an important advancement in spaceborne imaging technology. Developed by Elbit Systems’ ISTAR & EW Division, this ultra-lightweight, high-resolution optical payload is designed to meet the demanding requirements of both intelligence and civilian missions. Launched on August 26, 2025, via SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base, JUPITER exemplifies the convergence of engineering innovation and strategic capability.
Elbit Systems–ISTAR & EW–ELOP (Elop) has been Israel’s center of excellence for space Electro-Optic payloads since the establishment of IMOD’s Space and Satellites Administration. Elbit’s space payloads have been selected and used on all Israeli MOD ISR satellites since 1995. Over the years, these payloads have evolved, aiming to maximize innovation along with the highest standards and quality of work.
Today, these cameras serve not only Israel’s satellite fleet but also international customers, bridging the gap between intelligence needs and high-end space technology capabilities.
The JUPITER space camera introduces a new generation of space cameras with an optimized ratio of aperture size and minimal weight, while maximizing light capturing and image quality. This is achieved using honeycomb-structured ultra-lightweight mirrors, reducing mass by up to 90 percent.
Operating at an orbital altitude of approximately 500 km, JUPITER achieves a native resolution below 30 cm per pixel — enabling the camera to spot objects as small as individual players on a football field from space.
The JUPITER camera is multispectral, offering a combination of imaging channels:
- High-resolution panchromatic channel (black and white), which captures fine spatial details across the full visible spectrum.
- RGB channels (red, green, blue) for true-color imaging.
- NIR channel (Near-Infrared), which enables analysis of vegetation health, water content, and material properties.
The data generated by the JUPITER camera is designed to integrate with both onboard systems and ground station analytics platforms. Its compatibility with advanced image processing and AI engines enables the extraction of actionable insights, supporting informed decision-making across a wide range of applications.
In addition to the camera, Elbit Systems developed and supplied advanced algorithms to support the ground segment of the NAOS mission, enhancing image analysis capabilities.
Space presents a hostile environment where cameras must endure intense vibrations during launch, extreme temperature fluctuations, radiation exposure, and corrosive atomic oxygen.
Weight is only one of many challenges. The cameras must survive the violent acoustic and vibrations of launch, then endure years in the vacuum of space — where heat can’t dissipate, radiation corrodes electronics, and vast temperature range and extreme environmental conditions. For example, even oxygen atoms at orbital altitudes behave like acid, slowly eroding exposed surfaces.
Beyond military and intelligence uses, the images and data captured by the JUPITER camera can support a diverse range of civilian missions including environmental monitoring, disaster response, and geographic mapping.
Elbit Systems’ ISTAR & EW Division team is looking forward with great curiosity to learn how the JUPITER camera will be used operationally, and to discover new, innovative services and applications that will leverage the data and imagery it provides.
JUPITER is not only a technical milestone but also a potential gateway to future satellite constellations. These coordinated networks aim to provide broader coverage and continuous observation, offering scalable and cost-effective solutions for governments and industries. The camera encapsulates decades of Israeli expertise in optics and systems engineering, setting the stage for next-generation space technologies.
This article was contributed by Elbit Systems. For more information, visit here .
