NASA head William (Bill) Nelson: "We believe that the new era of space exploration should be done peacefully, safely and through cooperation with our international colleagues. We look forward to Israel signing the agreements."
Yesterday, the 17th Ilan Ramon International Space Conference of the Israel Space Agency was held at the Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology, the Ramon Foundation and the Yuval Na'eman Workshop of Tel Aviv University. About 1000 people from all over the world participated during the day in a conference held online and in the English language. The conference was held in the presence of the President of the State, the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, the Minister of Advanced Technologies of the United Arab Emirates, the Minister of Environmental Protection and the Chairman of the Israel Space Agency. As every year, the conference was attended by the heads of the world's largest space agencies, astronauts, and executives of the global space industry, alongside Israeli companies that presented, as every year, blue and white technological developments.
Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Orit Farkash HaCohen She opened the morning by saying: "I am happy to speak at the international conference named after the late Ilan Ramon, the first Israeli astronaut. Few could have imagined then the impact of the Ramon Foundation and the legacy of Ilan and his family. Hundreds of thousands of students were affected, and Israel later has a glorious space heritage that keeps growing. The world is changing, innovative technologies are changing space in general and the space industry in particular. Costs have been reduced: develop, build and launch. Non-governmental actors joined in, and the industry grew and changed. In the age of the new space, the influence of the space agency is essential, through encouragement and support of the private sector. Just this month, we approved a grant to 11 companies in the amount of NIS 18.5 million in the space field. The purpose of the move was to establish and strengthen startups in the space field. We will take many additional steps in this area.'
The head of NASA, William (Bill) Nielsen, who participated in the main panel of the heads of the space agency said this morning "I am proud to participate in the event with my counterparts from the United Arab Emirates and Israel at this year's conference; We are taking a significant step in research and preparation for a landing on the moon and later the intention to reach Mars. An increasing number of countries have already signed the Artemis Agreements because we believe that the new era of space exploration should be done peacefully, safely and through cooperation with our international colleagues. We look forward to Israel signing the agreements." Nilsson added that "an important cargo aboard Artemis 1 is the Astrorad radiation protection suit, which is the contribution of the State of Israel and other international and commercial partners. The suit will be worn by a dummy in order to reduce the degree of exposure to radiation and help us prepare for longer missions. It is now more important than ever, as activity in low satellite orbit and beyond increases, that we unite as nations to maintain this common space in space. Moreover, Nilson said that "at the end of March, as part of the first private mission of astronauts to the International Space Station, the Israeli Eitan Stiva will also go up. It is appropriate that we talk about the next Israeli in space at this conference in memory of Ilan Ramon. Stiva will continue the Israeli tradition by reaching the space station."
UAE Minister of Advanced Technologies Sarah Al-Amiri She greeted and said at the conference that "one year after the signing of the Abraham Accords between the countries, agreements that led to the promotion of peace, stability and prosperity in our country, including the strengthening of ties in the field of space, it is an honor and a privilege for me to speak here today on behalf of the people, I said. We are at the beginning of a new era of global partnerships, which will allow every country, small or large, small or developing economies to join the space and enjoy the inherent advantage in it. Space is a springboard for socio-economic change, growth and prosperity. As governments and nations we need to focus on a number of principles in the field: on the international level - we all need to work together to make sure that the use and exploitation of outer space is done for peaceful purposes and to respond to the increasing density in space. The second principle is to take capabilities from the field of space and use them for the benefit of life on Earth and the third as government space agencies we must promote and support innovation, work with other sectors and understand the benefits of data from space for other areas of life. The minister concluded by saying that "we recognize space as the next significant arena where countries will require cooperation in order to advance humanity."
Brigadier General (Res.) Uri Oron, Director of the Israel Space Agency summarized the panel of heads of the International Space Agency in which he participated: "During the session with my fellow heads of space agencies from the USA, Canada, France, Brazil and the United Arab Emirates, the question of the role of the space agencies came up at a time when private entities are entering the field. It was amazing to see the imagination in the challenges we all experience small and large agencies, innovation and veterans. One of the main roles of a space agency at the present time is to identify and bridge the various governmental, commercial and social needs and the research and technology capabilities of space. Already today, the information and capabilities produced in space are capable of significantly and effectively helping a variety of immediate needs that arise in the fields of agriculture, environmental quality, improving communications infrastructure, and more. I am convinced that these assets and capabilities that come from space will become a significant component in Israel's ability to respond to these challenges."
The astronaut from the United Arab Emirates Al Mansuri was furious who was a guest at the conference said: "To be chosen to be the first Emirati astronaut is a great responsibility and a great honor. I am currently at Johnson Space Center (NASA's Johnson Space Center) in order to build our capabilities for the future as well as for additional missions. We saw in the first mission the impact (like the Apollo effect) - the pride and strengths are significant. This strengthens the Emirati space industry and the future of human missions. On life on the International Space Station, Al Mansouri added, "It is a special combination between Russia and the USA. Different schools of thought but working together under not easy living conditions at all. I am a pilot by profession, I see the advantage that astronauts come from different professional backgrounds. We lived and worked as one family aboard the space station, and worked together for one goal: the advancement of human exploration."
In response to a question about the private flights in space today, Al Mansouri replied, "We are living in a fascinating time in the field of manned space flights. The private missions may give many people the feeling of security in technology and this possibility." Al Mansuri finished by saying that his dream is to reach the moon - will it happen? We'll have to wait and find out.
Prof. Itzik Ben Israel, Chairman of the Israel Space Agency: ""It is no secret that we are in an age where space is going through a revolution. One example is enough: who would have believed, a few years ago, that a group from the private sector would initiate, build and launch a lander to the moon, and all this in a tiny country like Israel? And this is exactly what was done in the "Bereshit" project, and I am happy to announce here that "Bereshit 2" has already started and started, and this time it is more ambitious: the goal is to land 2 landers on the moon. Until recently, we thought that only governments could carry out projects of this type, and here we are in an era of "new space" where everything is turning upside down and changing at a rapid pace: technologies are becoming more available, and costs are falling. Israel, despite its small size, has always seen itself as a pioneer in space, and this new trend, new space, suits us very well, and makes our engagement in space more and more possible. Some say that the occupation of space is important for the future of the human race. Some think that the future lies in the development of the human abilities of the younger generation.
And we say: there is no contradiction between the two. On the contrary: there is nothing like the occupation of space to attract the younger generation to the occupation of science and technology, and the story of "Genesis" testifies to this more than a thousand witnesses."
The president of Turkey's space agency Sardar Hossein Yildirum Mr. Serdar HÜSEYIN YILDIRIM who participated this year For the first time at the conference and presented the strategic plan of the Turkish Space Agency for the next decade. including landing on the moon within three years and increasing international cooperation.
The Ilan Ramon International Space Conference is part of a long tradition and is held every year in memory of the first Israeli astronaut Ilan Ramon and close to the time of the Columbia space shuttle disaster and is an annual attraction for the heads of space agencies, senior executives from the space industry, astronauts, entrepreneurs and investors. Every year the conference opens with a memorial ceremony for the victims of the Columbia disaster, including the first Israeli astronaut, the late Ilan Ramon.
to the event page of the conference and the various panels
More of the topic in Hayadan:
