The Director General of the Ministry of Science and Technology, Menachem Greenblum, and the Deputy Director General of Industrial Entrepreneurship at the European Commission, Dr. Paul Weissenberg, signed an agreement between the Commission and Israel today, which opens the door to cooperation in the field of space in Europe in a variety of projects.
More than 14 senior representatives in the field of space from around the world attended the Ilan Ramon International Space Convention of the Israel Space Agency at the Ministry of Science and the Fisher Institute in the last two days. As part of the convention, Israel Space Agency personnel at the Ministry of Science met with a variety of foreign representatives and started discussions regarding various issues.
The Director General of the Ministry of Science and Technology, Menachem Greenblum, and the Deputy Director General of Industrial Entrepreneurship at the European Commission, Dr. Paul Weissenberg, signed an agreement between the Commission and Israel today, which opens the door to cooperation in the field of space in Europe in a variety of projects.
The signed framework agreement also forms the basis for various other collaborations in the future with the European Commission. The meaning of the agreement is to pave the way and provide legitimacy and a more convenient possibility for Israeli parties in industry, academia and research institutes in the field of space to cooperate directly with their counterparts in Europe and to benefit from bilateral Europe-Israel R&D budgets. These days, negotiations are also underway between the member states as well as with the representatives of Israel on the scope of the budgets and the level of participation of the member states within the framework of the 7-year plan - Horizon 2020.
Also, as part of the convention, today Dr. Mazlan Othman, Director of the UN Office for Outer Space Affairs, called on Israel to join the "Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space - COPUOS" conference Shalom and the central international body dealing with space matters. Today Israel is only an observer at the conference. In a meeting with the Israel Space Agency at the Ministry of Science and Technology, it was stated that Israel is interested in increasing its activities at the UN Space Conference and will further consider joining as a member.
In addition, the representatives of the ministry suggested to Dr. Othman to place a model of an Israeli satellite in the permanent space exhibition at the headquarters of the United Nations in Vienna. This is an exhibition where models of satellites and launchers and things brought from space from all countries are displayed such as a stone from space, a statue of Yuri Gagarin and more. So far there has not been an Israeli exhibit in this exhibition. Dr. Othman expressed her agreement and interest in promoting the issue at the UN.
Meanwhile, in an informal conversation with senior representatives from the world's space agencies, representatives of the Israeli Space Agency said at the Ministry of Science that there is an intention to renew the tradition of Ilan Ramon and work for another Israeli astronaut in space. The agency began initial contacts with international parties in the field of space in order to examine the possibilities and implications of the subject. At this point, NASA stopped launching manned shuttles into space. If the intention is realized and the appropriate resources are found, it will be possible to place an Israeli astronaut on the International Space Station within a few years.
