The conference, of the Israel Space Agency at the Ministry of Science and Technology and the Fisher Institute, will this year mark the tenth anniversary of the shuttle disaster "Columbia"
For the first time, a record number of 14 heads of space agencies from all over the world will attend the Ilan Ramon International Space Conference of the Israel Space Agency at the Ministry of Science and the Fisher Institute this year. The conference, which will be held between January 29 and 31, 2013 at the Fisher Institute in Herzliya, will be the largest since its establishment and will be attended by NASA chief Charles Bolden, astronauts, senior officials of the US Space Command, scientists from the "Kryosty" project, the commander of the Israeli Air Force, representatives From the European Commission and the UN, space researchers and space industries from Israel and the world.
Among the heads of the agencies that will arrive: the head of NASA (NASA), the head of the European Space Agency (ESA), the head of the French Space Agency (CNES), the head of the Italian Space Agency (ASI), the head of the Brazilian Space Agency (AEB), the head of the Dutch Space Agency ( NSO), Head of the Ukrainian Space Agency (NKAU), President of the Czech Space Agency (CSO), Head of the Kazakhstan Space Agency, Vice President of the Russian Space Agency (ROSCOSMOS), Vice President of the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), Vice President of the Norwegian Space Agency (NSC), the head of the Danish Space Agency and a senior representative from the Chinese Space Agency (CNSA).
The gathering will open with words of blessing from President Shimon Peres (recorded), Minister of Science and Technology Prof. Daniel Hershkowitz and head of the Fisher Institute Brigadier General Assaf Agmon. Afterwards, there will be a special session on the topic "A decade of the first Israeli astronaut project" with the participation of the key people who were involved in the project: the commander of the Air Force at the time Major General (Ret.) Eitan Ben Eliyahu; Sean O'Keefe, former head of NASA; And Avi Har Even, former head of the Israel Space Agency. In addition, Ilan Ramon Ministry of Science and Technology scholarships will be awarded to outstanding researchers in the fields of science and space by the Minister of Science and Technology, the Director General of the Ministry of Science and Technology Menachem Greenblum, the Director of the Israel Space Agency Menachem Kidron and Rona Ramon. The session will close with a special lecture by NASA chief Charles Bolden on the future of space exploration.
The other sessions of the convention will deal with the hot topics in the field of space: space and security, challenges in space, space exploration, entrepreneurship and innovation in space, space policy, industry and technology in space, space and science and more.
Among the guests from abroad who will participate in the gathering: General Susan Helms from the US Space Command; Dr. Paul Weisenberg, Vice President for Entrepreneurship and Industry at the European Commission; Dr. Mazlan Othman, Director of the UN Office for Outer Space Affairs; Colonel Randy Breznik, NASA Astronaut; Prof. Walter Peters, President of the International Space University; Prof. Berndt Feuerbacher, outgoing president of the International Astronautical Federation; Christian Feichtinger, CEO of the International Astronautical Federation; as well as the representatives of the companies SpaceX, the Ukrainian Yuzhnoi company, Virgin Atlantic, EMMERPLUS and more.
Among the Israelis who will speak at the gathering: Air and Space Wing Commander Major General Amir Eshel; Prof. Ehud Bacher, head of the Asher Institute for Space Research at the Technion, Prof. Eil Ben-Dor from Tel Aviv University as well as representatives from the space industries in Israel.
The third day of the convention will be held in the format of "round tables" and will deal, among other things, with the vulnerability of satellites, small satellites and the miniaturization of space components and systems and new paradigms in satellite launchers.
The Ilan Ramon convention is held every year as the main event in memory of the victims of the space shuttle Columbia and is held near the memorial of the first Israeli astronaut, the late Ilan Ramon. The convention is a central meeting point for senior officials from the field of science and space from around the world. At the same time as the convention seats, a large professional exhibition of the leading industries in the field of space from Israel and the world will be presented.
