The space race is gaining momentum, but Israel is being pushed out of the picture * The Israel Space Association: "Precisely when the space race is developing rapidly in the world, Israel is slowing down"
At a meeting of scientists held this week in Bangalore, India, the ambitious Indian space program was approved, to develop manned Indian spacecraft that will take an Indian astronaut into space by 2014. In the more distant future, India aims to send an astronaut to the moon by 2020, 4 years before the expedition planned by China to the moon. The Indian plan, which was revealed only this week, was formulated over 4 years of in-depth planning. With the implementation of the plan, India, which is considered a country with relatively developed space capabilities, will become the fourth country in the world to possess the ability to independently launch humans into space, after Russia, the USA and China, which did so 4 years ago.The 80 scientists who gathered at the offices of the Indian Space Agency, among India's top scientists, approved the plan unanimously, and decided to place the headquarters of the new space program at the "Satish Dhawan" space base. The scientists announced that "the time has come for India's manned space program". The scientists even announced that they consider it important that Pakistan, Malaysia and South Korea are also planning to send humans into space, although it is actually about purchasing space on a Russian spacecraft for astronauts from these countries.
"In a few years, other countries will establish bases on the moon, and will know its resources," spokespeople in India said, "India will not be left out of the race." It is believed that the Indians are taking these steps, including the massive investments needed to realize the plans, mainly against the background of the ambitious Chinese space program, which has already sent astronauts into space twice, using Chinese spacecraft. China has already published plans for the establishment of a Chinese space station, a landing on the moon, and the establishment of a "moon base", which will utilize the many resources available on the moon in the future.
"The whole world today understands the importance of space exploration and the great potential, also economic, that exists in space," says Lt. Col. (Res.) Astronaut Yitzhak Mayo, President of the Israel Space Association, who trained at NASA as a replacement for the late Ilan Ramon. "The space race is renewed, and if Israel wants to add and stand at the forefront of science and technology, we must deepen investments in research and development in the field."
"Investments in the field of civil space in Israel are tiny, and the Israeli Space Agency's budget is only a few million shekels, an extremely tiny budget compared to what is happening in the world in general and in the Middle East in particular," says Tal Inbar, chairman of the Israel Space Association and a senior researcher at the Fisher Institute for Air and Space Research. Countries such as Nigeria, Morocco, Argentina and Egypt today have space programs and scientific satellites in development. The new Minister of Science who will take office will have to take this matter to his attention, and work to significantly increase the budget of the Israeli Space Agency, which almost cannot operate in the absence of a budget."
Comments
How do you want us to get to space if there is all this massive political corruption Israel is a third world country and has no police We won't get to space maybe in 2021 by then the United States will reach Mars and overcome all space problems I don't understand why the US doesn't anesthetize astronauts on their way to missions to the distant planets this will solve About 99% of the problems but today the technology is not at the level needed for a space autopilot In 2010 there will be an automatic fighter pilot technology and maybe after that the robots will measure themselves if there are space problems I think the governments are developing a fighter plane called the f-35 the last human fighter plane
Apart from the technological achievements that develop as by-products in the space race, manned space exploration has a positive sociological meaning not only for a single nation that achieves the achievement but also for humanity as a whole.
Beyond that, a manned space bug is a necessary step on the way to establishing colonies outside of the Earth - something that is obviously positive.
Besides, what else would you like them to spend the money on?
Obviously they won't donate it to countries in need.
The alternative is more likely to be war.
After all, it's cool for those!
What is important is the future technology for space travel and not the pride of who will reach the moon or Mars.
The technology that exists today can be defined as something around the extinct Anderal man.
Therefore there is no point in wasting money for nothing.
Unmanned research = waste of money
Say thank you that they are looking after us!! It's not like they sit in the office and rest all month >
There is nothing to do in Israel, the entire budget goes to the salaries of the permanent staff and officers.