What is a rocket launcher doing in the center of Tel Aviv?

The launcher was placed in the Israel Space Academy complex established by the Israel Space Agency in the Ministry of Science at the Eretz Israel Museum in Tel Aviv, which will be activated next week as part of the Space Week events

The residents of Ramat Aviv woke up last weekend and discovered an 8 meter high missile in front of their window - this is not a war or a military operation but the Israeli space week that opens tomorrow. For the occasion, which leads The Israeli Space Agency in the office Science, a life-size model of the "Shavit" launcher, which launched many Israeli satellites, was placed, from the Israel Aerospace Industries. The launcher was placed in the Israel Space Academy complex established by the Israel Space Agency in the Ministry of Science at the Eretz Israel Museum in Tel Aviv. In the complex, an experiential training course for the space engineers of the future for children and youth: experience with satellite missions and its operation, joining a XNUMXD virtual space laboratory with the participation of two of the "Galis" stars, performing the "Chemical Garden" experiment conducted by the late astronaut Ilan Ramon in space, augmented reality of a journey In the stars, the assembly and launch of a personal launcher and more.

Among the other events this week, all of them Free: Observations, workshops for building satellites, 31D space travel experiences, a planetarium, online lectures, meetings with astronauts and other experiential complexes throughout the country. Among the guests of the events: NASA astronauts Shannon Walker and Joseph Akaba, former NASA astronaut Garrett Reisman, European Space Agency astronaut Samantha Cristoforti and Korean astronaut Yi Soo-yeon. The week is marked every year, between January 4 and February XNUMX, to commemorate the memory and legacy of the first Israeli astronaut Ilan Ramon.

"Through the events we make science and space accessible to the general public in Israel. The goal of the Israeli Space Week is that as many young people as possible across the country will be exposed to the subject of space and develop interest and scientific curiosity," says Minister of Science Ofir Akunis. "Israel is currently a leader in space technology and especially in the miniaturization of satellites. We will continue to arouse interest in the younger generation and grow the next generation of scientists and engineers who will move the State of Israel forward."