At the opening of the 21st Ramon Conference at Tel Aviv University, the Minister of Innovation presented a vision for the coming decade: cooperation with NASA until 2035, promotion of the first Israeli female astronaut, and the establishment of “Access to Space” in Mitzpe Ramon with an investment of NIS 60 million.
"When it comes to space, there are really no boundaries between security, science and economics – these are three dimensions of the same national power," said Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology Gila Gamliel at the opening of the 21st International Ramon Conference named after Ilan Ramon, held on January 28, 2026 at Tel Aviv University as part of Israeli Space Week.
In her remarks, Gamliel outlined a “roadmap” for the coming decade, centered on three steps: anchoring cooperation with NASA in a long-term agreement, establishing a national laboratory that will make it cheaper and easier for Israeli companies to orbit the Earth, and strengthening Israel’s international cooperation network in the field of space – alongside organizational steps within the Israeli Space Agency.
A decade-long agreement with NASA, Artemis and the first Israeli female astronaut
Gamliel mentioned that Israel is at a point in time where “humanity is returning to the moon” – not as a race between countries, but as a set of partnerships within the framework of the Artemis program and the international rules of the Artemis Accords, which Israel signed in January 2022.
In this context, she emphasized the strategic agreement signed on December 10, 2025 between Israel and NASA, which was intended to regulate joint ventures until 2035 (valid until November 1, 2035) and to open a “permanent framework” for cooperation – from mutual access to research facilities and resources, to projects in deep space and on the moon. Official announcements also included the ULTRASAT project and joint activities around the Artemis program among the areas of cooperation. (The Israeli Space Agency)
Another issue she placed at the center is promoting the launch of the first Israeli female astronaut. This is not the first time the issue has come up at the Ramon conference, but now it is also anchored in broader agreements with NASA.
On the educational front, Gamliel linked the vision to the need to “train a future generation” who will know how to work in a multinational environment. In this context, she mentioned NASA’s International Internship Program (NASA I²), which aims to prepare students to work in multicultural projects.
“Access to Space”: A national laboratory in Mitzpe Ramon that will lower barriers to entry into space
The most prominent economic-applied announcement in the minister's remarks concerned the establishment of a national research and development laboratory that will function as an "executive arm" for launching, testing, and operating Israeli technologies in space.
According to official publications, the initiative is called (Access to Space), its total budget is NIS 60 million, of which NIS 40 million is in government grants, and it will be established in Mitzpe Ramon and led by (Creation Space). The laboratory is supposed to offer Israeli companies a discount of at least 35% on services such as launch, testing, and in-orbit experiments – alongside an engineering envelope, infrastructure, and regulatory assistance along the way “from the lab to the orbit.”
It was also reported that the consortium leading the construction includes industrial and academic partners (including entities such as Israel Aerospace Industries, the Technion, and Ben-Gurion University), and that outsourcing will also involve international service providers for runway access purposes.
In terms of the message, Gamliel described the move as a direct answer to a problem familiar to almost every space startup: Even a great idea “gets stuck on the ground” if there is no practical ability to achieve a real experiment in space conditions. The lab is supposed to make “jumping into orbit” a more planned and accessible process – and not a one-time event reserved only for the big players.
Regional collaborations, appointments at the space agency and a salute to Maurice Kahn
In her remarks, the minister also referred to Israel's network of international agreements in the field of space. Among other things, a memorandum of understanding for cooperation with Azerbaijan was signed in April 2025, and a framework agreement with Hungary was announced in September 2025 – intended to promote joint ventures in the fields of space technologies, education, and remote sensing. (The Israeli Space Agency)
Within Israel, Gamliel welcomed the appointment of Dr. Shamrith Tirosh-Maman as chairwoman of the Israel Space Agency – the first woman in the position – and noted that the ministry is also working to strengthen the agency's management and strategic directions. However, she did not mention that the position of director general of the Israel Space Agency is unfilled.
She also referred to recent achievements, most notably the launch of the “Ofek 19” observation/intelligence satellite in early September 2025 – an event that, from her perspective, marked the ability to maintain continuity of development and launch even under difficult conditions.
Finally, Gamliel dedicated part of her remarks to the figure of entrepreneur and philanthropist Maurice Kahn, who passed away on January 1, 2026. Kahn was one of the main supporters of SpaceIL and the Beresheet mission – the first Israeli mission to the moon, which reached orbit around the moon but was lost during the landing attempt in April 2019. The minister described the “Beresheet effect” as a factor that expanded the imagination and ambition of many young people in Israel.
More of the topic in Hayadan:
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The Minister of Intelligence on October 7th…
60 million is nothing. Probably don't expect too much from it.
You can't build too much for 60 million NIS. It sounds like "don't expect too much"