The new plan also includes the establishment of a satellite for research purposes, increasing the number of researchers and high school graduates engaged in the field * In 2016, a similar plan was prepared with a budget of 300 million shekels, and this is also the fate of the MoLMOP plan in 2009
This week, the Israel Space Agency revealed Israel's strategic plan for the development of the space sector: an investment of NIS 600 million over a period of five years, 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 were involved in a tangible way in the field as well as the number of space researchers in the academy.
It should be noted that this is not the first time that such a program has been brought up. The previous time was in 2016 under the title:The National Civil Space Program'. As part of this program, the space agency was supposed to receive 300 million shekels for the purpose of starting the program and doubling the number of people employed in the field and the revenues. This plan was blocked by the so-called "treasury boys". The issue was even harshly criticized by the State Comptroller in 2018 (Expansion later in the article). A similar fate was the program that published The National Council for Research and Development - the National Research and Development Council in 2009.
The current strategic plan for the advancement of the civil space sector in Israel was presented by the Israel Space Agency at the Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology to Sarah, Orit Farkash HaCohen. This follows her request to map in detail the space of opportunities as well as the vision, goals and actions required in order to take advantage of these opportunities. In the background of the program is the dramatic change taking place in the field of space in the world in recent years, with the opening of space to private entrepreneurs and investors and its transformation into a growing and developing market. "The civil space industry is going through a global revolution", explains Farkash HaCohen, "this is a huge commercial and economic potential for the Israeli economy and the Israeli high-tech industry".
Ambitious goals
The new plan, which was revealed for the first time today, states that the space sector can be a force multiplier and a lever for significant economic growth, strengthening science and technology components as well as Israel's international status. The program has four main goals: one is to strengthen and develop the civilian space industry in Israel as a sustainable growth engine; the second, strengthening and supporting scientific research in the field of space; The third is to promote and develop the human capital required to continue strengthening and growing the space sector; And the fourth, strengthening Israel's international position in the field of space.
In order to achieve these goals, the plan sets a series of measurable goals for the development of the space sector in Israel, such as doubling the number of space companies from 60 to at least 120. Also, the plan sets a goal of increasing the number of people employed in the field from 2500 to approximately 10,000 (four times), as well as increasing the annual sales volume of the space field from $4 billion to $XNUMX billion.
Another goal in the plan is to establish international partnerships in the field of space and increase the Israeli presence in major multinational organizations. As part of this goal, the Israel Space Agency intends, among other things, to invest in international satellite projects. SHALOM satellite, for example, is a commercial and scientific satellite that is a joint project with the Italian Space Agency and has several important missions: environmental monitoring, atmosphere, land and oceans, and precision agriculture. Its products will enable the development of various applications by commercial bodies in Israel, the deepening of research in the field of remote sensing and other technological developments.
In parallel with the goals in the industry and the international arena, the plan also includes increasing the number of space researchers in the academy from 120 to 160 (an increase of 33%) as well as increasing the number of high school graduates who were involved in a tangible way in the field of space from 200 to 4,000.
Part of a "world revolution"
The Israel Space Agency sees great importance in the interrelationships between the above objectives. For example, one of the actions detailed in the plan is to increase the TBL program (students build satellites) and turn it into an international program that is connected with the military and the academy - that is, a central tool for attracting high school students to technological professions in general and a sense of competence in the field of space in particular. In order to enable the assimilation of the use of products from space in the activities of the government and other bodies, while supporting industry and research, the new program of the space agency also includes the establishment of a space-based national knowledge center.
"The civil space industry is undergoing a global revolution. This is a tremendous commercial and economic potential for the Israeli economy and the Israeli high-tech industry," said Orit Farkash HaCohen. "The plan that I tasked the space agency to prepare to promote this field will continue to develop the space industry in Israel in accordance with future trends and will harness the many assets and information that Israel has in this field in the defense industry for civilian uses. Already today we see more startups and research in the field, our job is to increase their quantity significantly".
Hila Haddad-Khamelnik, Director General of the Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology, added that "We are at a critical moment where space is turning from an event of governments to an event of the private market, and in this there is a huge opportunity for the State of Israel. Strategic investment in the field of space is critical to the civil resilience of the State of Israel, both in the economic aspect and in the international aspect. This is a growing market and the State of Israel can reach a market share of 1% of it - which will bring huge profits to the Israeli companies involved in the field and to the country as a whole. In the strategic plan, we chose to focus on 4 aspects: significant strengthening of the civilian space industry; the political aspects of the field, further strengthening the research; And on the issue of education and the community, which is an attractive factor for the entire worlds of science and technology."
A plan was already prepared six years ago and the State Comptroller alerted Masamusa
If we go back to the 2016 plan, the director of the space agency at the time said in a hearing in the Knesset's science committee that a budget of 300 million shekels was set in Lesbarger, that the agency wishes to continue the process that began in recent years within the framework of a new plan formulated: the 'Civil National Space Program', in which the government is requested To adopt a number of goals in the fields of building industry, education and positioning Israel as a leading supplier and expert, with the goal of "reaching an industry scale of NIS 3 billion within 5 years and doubling it within another 5 years. All this on the assumption that the budget will be about NIS 300 million per year as was discussed at the beginning of the road." Against this, Belsberger presented that the budget approved by the Ministry of Finance is about NIS 60 million for the years 2016, 2017, which is a decrease from the previous years' budget and does not come close to the budget relevant to the plan for significant development of the field in Israel.
In 2018, the State Comptroller addressed this and demanded that the National Security Headquarters, the Ministry of Science and Technology and other relevant entities draw the necessary lessons from this report, act with a long-term vision, and take without delay the necessary actions that will ensure the preservation and promotion of the capabilities built in the country in this field. In this rule, they must examine the best way to ensure the provision of satellite services needed by the State of Israel, whether through a government company or in another way, states the auditor. The outline drawn up by the MLA, the Ministry of Science and other relevant parties included the implementation of the Amos 8 project and only principles for a multi-year plan in the field of communication satellites. The outline is only a short-term solution, and it is doubtful whether it will lead to a satisfactory solution to the crisis in the field.
It remains to be seen what will happen to the current program compared to its two predecessors.
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