Shavit

Shavit
State Medal, 5722-1962

On the 5th of July, 1961 Israel successfully launched a rocket for meteorological exploration, designed, built and launched by a team of Israeli scientists and technicians. Experts pointed out that its main achievement was to show Israel's capacity to manufacture the propellant fuel based exclusively upon locally available materials. The material was developed by the research branch of the Department of Defense. The official announcement stated that the rocket weighed a quarter of a ton, reached a height of 80 km, and was named "Shavit II".