The memorandum of understanding between the Technion andIIST (Indian Institute of Space Science and Space Technologies), which was signed during Prime Minister Netanyahu's visit to India, will establish cooperation between the two institutions in the field of space exploration
An agreement between the Technion and the Indian Ministry of Science in the field of space research was signed during Prime Minister Netanyahu's visit to India. The connection between the Technion and the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technologies (IIST) was forged during the visit of the Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi to Israel in July 2017. Recently, the head of the Israel Space Agency in the Ministry of Science, Avi Blasberger, and the vice president of the Indian Space Agency, S.W. Sharma The Deputy Ambassador of India to Israel, Dr. Anju Kumar, also visited the Technion.
According to Prof. Pini Gurfil, head of the Asher Institute for Space Research at the Technion, "The intention is to promote cooperation between the two institutions but also between the academic institutions and various factors in the industry. India is very strong in the field of launching, and at the end of this year Samson will be launched aboard the Indian PSLV launcher – A fleet of three nanosatellites will fly in a controlled structure flight for the first time in history. I appreciate that the agreement signed with IIST will allow us to move forward more efficiently in such research and applied contexts."
The Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology was founded in India in 2007 as the first space university in Asia. Its purpose: imparting quality education in the fields of space science and space technologies for the benefit of the Indian space program. The partnership with the Technion is based on the activity of the Asher Space Research Institute at the Technion and the fact that the Technion is the only Israeli university that has a faculty of aeronautics and space engineering.
The collaboration between the institutions will include joint academic courses and research activities in which students and faculty members from both institutions will participate, as well as scientists from the Indian Space Agency. The two institutions will hold student and postdoctoral exchanges, open up the possibility of a double academic degree (from both institutions) and encourage mutual visits by scientists from both institutions as well as video calls. This is in addition to the collaborations developed by the agreement with elements in the Indian Space Agency and Indian industry.
