The new program also includes the establishment of a satellite for research purposes, increasing the number of researchers and high school graduates working in the field.

TEL AVIV (Israel Space Agency PR) — Israel’s strategic plan for space development is unveiled for the first time: an investment of NIS 600 million [USD $179.96 million] over a five-year period, with the aim of doubling the number of local space companies and quadrupling the volume of annual sales in the field. The goals of the program are also, among other things, to increase the number of high school graduates who have dealt in a tangible way in the field as well as the number of space researchers in academia. 

The strategic plan for the advancement of the field of civil space in Israel was presented by the Israel Space Agency to the ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology Orit Farkash-Hacohen. This follows her request to map in detail the space of opportunity as well as the vision, goals and actions required to take advantage of these opportunities. In the background of the program is the dramatic change that has taken place in the field of space in the world in recent years, with the opening of space to entrepreneurs and private investors and its transformation into a growing and developing market. 

TEL AVIV (NASA PR) — In becoming the first country to sign the Artemis Accords in 2022, Israel affirmed its commitment to a common set of principles to guide cooperation among nations participating in 21st century space exploration.

HAIFA, Israel, January 26, 2022 (Elbit Systems PR) – Elbit Systems Ltd. (NASDAQ: ESLT, TASE: ESLT) (“Elbit Systems”) announced today that it was awarded a contract valued at approximately $16 million to supply a space telescope to the Weizmann Institute of Science under Israel’s Ultraviolet Transient Astronomy Satellite (“ULTRASAT”) program to observe and research deep space. The ULTRASAT program is jointly managed and funded by the Weizmann Institute of Science and the Israeli Space Agency and is carried out in association with the German DESY research center. The contract will be performed over a period of two years.

by Douglas Messier
Managing Editor

Israel and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will collaborate on a mission to the moon, analyze data from an Israeli-French Earth observation satellite, and launch a joint education satellite under a landmark agreement signed last week to cooperate on a range of space projects, the Israel Space Agency (ISA) announced.

The two nations will collaborate on Genesis 2, an $100 million Israeli mission to launch an orbiter to the moon and deploy landers at two different locations on the lunar surface. The mission, which is to be half funded with foreign contributions, is scheduled to launch in 2024.

TEL AVIV, Israel, Oct. 4, 2021 (SpaceIL PR) — “Beresheet2” mission of the Israeli non-profit organization SpaceIL is expected to be launched in Q4/2024. This is an historic opportunity for a scientific and educational breakthrough that will reach the young generation. SpaceIL sent out a “call for proposals” to receive proposals from organizations around the world for scientific experiments regarding the space mission of Beresheet2.

TEL AVIV (Israel Space Agency PR) — The Israeli company Helios, which develops technology for extracting oxygen from the lunar soil, signed the first Israeli-Japanese agreement for technological cooperation on July 19. Helios, with the support of the Israel Space Agency in the Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology, will be integrated into the mission to the moon of the Japanese company ispace. As part of the mission, the Israeli company will conduct a demonstration of technology for extracting oxygen and metal from the lunar regolith.

TZUR YIGAL, Israel (Israel Space Agency PR) — Meet the startup that wants to make oxygen from Moon: Helios, supported by the Israel Space Agency and the Ministry of Science and Technology, plans to launch the first experiment to the International Space Station next year. Helios is developing technology that will allow oxygen to be produced directly from lunar soil. If it succeeds, the small startup from Israel will pave the way for human settlement on the moon and Mars.

TEL AVIV-JAFFA, Israel (Israel Space Agency PR) — Another step in Eytan Stibbe’s journey into space: the Israel Space Agency at the Ministry of Science and Technology and the Ramon Foundation announced at the Peres Center for Peace and Innovation the scientific experiments that the Israeli astronaut will perform in space as part of a Sky mission. The groundbreaking experiments were selected from technological, scientific and medical fields, and chosen on the basis of their research potential and expected economic impact. 

On Dec. 23, 2020, the Israel Space Agency and the Ramon Foundation announced a call for Israeli scientists, researchers and entrepreneurs, who in recent months have submitted their proposals for experiments to be carried out on the International Space Station as part of the Sky mission. 

The experiments were selected by a scientific and technological committee headed by Inbal Kreiss, a senior figure in the Israeli aerospace industry, and the director of innovation in the aerospace missile systems division. The experiment selection process included training seminars and counseling sessions to adapt the experiments to space conditions and the experimental teams were given access to the scientific and technological platforms at the International Space Station. This morning, the 44 trials selected by the professional committee were announced. 

by Douglas Messier
Managing Editor

A former fighter pilot paying to become the second Israeli to fly into space late next year made his fortune by supplying military weapons, security systems and other services to the governments of Angola, Nigeria, Haiti, Ivory Coast and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Eytan Stibbe, 62, will join retired NASA astronaut Michael Lopez-Alegria and two unidentified individuals on a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft for a privately-funded mission to the International Space Station (ISS). Stibbe will pay for the cost of the trip and stay at the station.

Tel Aviv, Israel (Gov. Ron DeSantis PR) – Today, Governor Ron DeSantis participated in a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signing between Space Florida and the Israel Space Agency. The Governor, Space Florida President and CEO Frank DiBello, and Mr. Avi Blasberger, Director General of The Israel Space Agency, were all on hand for the signing, which took place at the Peres Center for Peace and Innovation.

Also in attendance were Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis, Enterprise Florida, Inc. President & CEO Jamal Sowell, Space Florida Vice President of Research and Innovation Tony Gannon, Chairman of the Israel Space Agency Major General Isaac Ben-Israel, Israel Minister of Science and Technology Ofir Akunis and Director-General of the Israel Ministry of Science and Technology Ran Ber.

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