"For the first time in history, Israel will participate in a satellite project intended for the moon"
The Minister of Science, Eliezer (Modi) Zandberg revealed yesterday for the first time at the meeting of the Knesset's Science Committee that the Indian government has offered to participate in an Indian satellite project that will fly to the moon in 2008. We first reported to you about this satellite on the Hidaan website about ten days ago (see link below). "When we signed the agreement with the Indians to fly TAUVEX on their platform, we received an offer from them to participate in their project to launch a satellite to orbit the moon. They have a place there on the PAYLOAD, and they asked us if we were interested. I know there are already some offers. We forwarded requests for proposals to the entire scientific community. Bring good but cheap ideas. I received permission in principle from the Prime Minister to move forward on the matter. Of course, this is a function of budgets, but the approval in principle has already been given.
"For the first time in history, Israel will participate in a satellite project intended for the moon." Minister Zandbag said.
The science committee met yesterday, Monday at noon for a meeting planned for the (Hebrew) anniversary of the Columbia disaster and the death of the late Col. Ilan Ramon. In the absence of the chairman of the science committee, Mali Polischuk-Bloch, due to illness, MK Ofir Paz-Fines filled her place. At the conference, reviews were given by the Director of the Israel Space Agency, Avi Har-Evan, the Chairman of the Space Agency, Prof. Yuval Naaman; Prof. Ze'ev Levin from Tel Aviv University who was also one of the partners in the experiment on the shuttle; Prof. Dina Prielnik and Dr. Noah Brosh from Tel Aviv University, as well as Prof. Dan Blumberg from Ben Gurion University of the Negev. The Governmental Society for Coins and Medals announced the minting of a commemorative coin, and MK Pines presented the coin to Lt. Col. (Mill) Yitzhak Mayo, which was used for a certain period - in the first year of Ramon's stay as Ramon's backup astronaut. There was also a review from the representative of the Ministry of Education and teenagers who participated in the space quiz, and advanced to the next level in the competition that will be held this Monday in Herzliya.
We will provide the committee's protocol in full when it is published on the committee's website, and in the meantime some more excerpts from Minister Zandberg's speech.
Israel is a small country, but the space above it is infinite. The space was also discovered by the countries discovering areas to develop them economically. In Israel we are developing the field of satellites - there is a trend of adding civilian applications in addition to the military satellites that have economic implications. It is a market that is developing and Israel should be a part of it. In these matters, we are positioned with not bad potential and also with demonstrated capabilities and performance in such a way that it is only possible to increase the potential and get more out of it.
There is a big debate in the world regarding genetically modified food. The Europeans say no, the Americans say yes. The caterers say 'insects will come that know how to overcome the genetically engineered food and what will we do then. The proposed solution is to oblige every farmer who grows genetically modified food to grow a certain percentage of the field area with non-genetically modified crops in order to preserve qualities. And there we are talking about huge fields. How will we monitor this? The answer: from space. We will watch the satellite and find out who is cheating and who is not. Another application is telemedicine. In India today there are about 50 thousand people a year, in remote places undergoing medical treatments when the doctor is sometimes hundreds of kilometers from the subject; Communication applications - every cell phone user knows what this is about. Communication between satellites is also a field that is gradually developing, collecting accurate information about certain items; monitoring; Environment; Bird Migration.
All these things come to economic benefits and business applications. We should be there.
The Europeans are currently developing the Galileo network - which competes with GPS - with 30 satellites, worth 4-5 billion euros. We are trying to be there, and I am constantly devoting resources and many conversations with the European Space Agency to this. We are seeking to upgrade Israel's status in the European Space Agency, so that we can at least get jobs here as subcontractors for some of the activities, and believe me, the economic implications can certainly be huge.
The collaboration with NASA - we are trying to deepen it and expand it also in educational activities. I think space is really cool. When I was a kid I used to read Astrophysics and Popular Science, Asimov. These are things that arouse interest and imagination, but they also have practical consequences when these children grow up, Minister Zandberg explains.
Without the basic research we will not reach the results of the whole thing. And these two things need to be developed. Therefore we are promoting the ties with NASA, and the European Space Agency, now also with the Indians and in general we want to be partners with the countries that want to break through to space, when the market grows we must be there.
Where does the money come from?
I must say that I have an attentive ear with the Prime Minister and also with the Ministry of Finance, unlike in the past. The Ministry of Science lost NIS 50 million in the period before I took office. This money went to Israeli artists. I don't despise art, but we must know where we stand. Ten year budget of the Israeli Space Agency. We pool budgets. I received a budget from the Ministry of Finance for the construction of a joint satellite with the French. We received a budget for TAUVEX and other activities. We cannot measure these things in a day or two, but these things are meaningful. If we don't invest today we will have nothing in ten years. I throw down the gauntlet to the members of the Knesset from both the coalition and the opposition. We must build an order of priorities in which science policy and space policy occupy an important place.
"There is a space race today. Now we are surrounded by the results of this race - the spacecraft launched to Mars - plans for a base on the moon. There is talk of space being in this century what the seas and oceans were 300 years ago on the way to spices in India; And what oil was in the twentieth century. We are not supposed to be the knights of the universe, we won't be, our budget is too small, but we want to be partners and involved, and if we don't do it today, in ten years or twenty years when it happens we won't be there. I hope we know how to balance the needs. Israel's potential is amazing and I am sure we will be able to realize it." Minister Zandberg concludes.
Press release on behalf of the Science Committee, 26/1/04
Year of the Columbia disaster
Published on: 26/01/2004
MK Polishok-Bloch, chairman of the Science and Technology Committee: "It is no wonder that the late Ilan Ramon was chosen to represent Israel as the first Israeli astronaut. He very easily connected the factions of this country, igniting in Israelis the spirit of courage, curiosity and imagination, thus turning us all into potential space enthusiasts and scientists."
· On the moon there is a Jewish corner with four craters and one of the steroids is named after the late Ilan Ramon.
The Science and Technology Committee chaired by the acting chairman of the committee, MK Ofir Pines, convened for a special discussion on the one year anniversary of the Columbia disaster and the consequences of the disaster on Israeli space activities.
Mr. Avi Har Even, director of the Israel Space Agency, told the members of the committee that Israel's relationship with NASA will not change following the report of the commission of inquiry into the Columbia disaster. President George Bush already promised on 3/2/2003 that he would work to launch another Israeli astronaut into space and we are in the phase of formulating ideas for another experiment by an Israeli astronaut. The space agency, industry and academia coordinately engage in various types of research, development and production of launchers, satellites and subsystems within international collaborations. It has signed cooperation agreements with the space agencies of the USA, France, Germany, Ukraine, as well as memorandums of understanding or informal cooperation with the space agencies of the European Union, the Netherlands and Russia. Israel has five self-made satellites in space that allow us to sell satellite images. There is no doubt that in this field we are a "space power" and are in a unique club that includes only 8 countries.
MK Ofir Paz - Pines, acting chairman of the committee: "The entire public closely followed the preparations, the launch and the landing, we were close to the shelters and we felt we belonged to Ilan Ramon and his family. When the landing ended in disaster we felt heavy personal and national grief. We take some comfort in the fact that Israel will continue to be a partner of our friendship and the leading power in space exploration.
MK Mali Polishuk, the chairman of the Science and Technology Committee, who was prevented from participating in the debate, sent her blessing to the participants of the debate and said that "it is no wonder that the late Ilan Ramon was chosen to represent Israel as the first Israeli astronaut. He very easily connected the factions of this country, igniting in Israelis the spirit of courage, curiosity and imagination, thus turning us all into potential space enthusiasts and scientists. The momentum created must be utilized to educate and invest the appropriate resources on space exploration because then the late Ilan Ramon will be first in a long list of achievements.
Prof. Yuval Naaman, chairman of the Israel Space Agency, said that as part of the commemoration of Ilan Ramon, his name was added to the Jewish corner in space. The Jewish corner consists of four craters named after Jewish scientists and recently also an asteroid named after the late Ilan Ramon.
MK Matan Vilnai, former Minister of Science: "The Israeli Space Agency does expensive and important work but with ridiculous budgets. Space exploration has a wide impact on various issues and Israel's ability in this field is part of the strength and resilience of Israeli society.
Dr. Hanna Vink, from the Science and Technology Administration of the Ministry of Education and Culture, told the members of the committee about the ministry's activities in the field of commemorating the late Ilan Ramon. Students from the Klabin middle school in Jerusalem and the Emek Hafer middle school presented a research activity on astronomy and planning space colonies.
Mr. Eliezer Zandberg, Minister of Science and Technology: "The State of Israel is a small country, but the space above us is infinite. Countries locate issues related to space exploration because they have enormous economic implications. Space exploration also has wide-ranging effects on industry. Scientific knowledge has long-term meaning and consequences.
