The Israel Space Agency was established in 1983 as part of the Ministry of Science and Technology. Within the span of five years, Israel launched its first satellite, the Ofek 1 into space, becoming one of eight countries worldwide with the ability  to  design, build, launch, and operate satellites in space. Israel’s expertise in technology and science, allowed Israel to expand and advance its space industry in a short amount of time. In 2003, Israel’s first astronaut Ilan Ramon, participated in the Space Shuttle Columbia mission STS 107 to space. After the completion of the space mission, Ramon and the entire Columbia crew were killed when the space shuttle exploded during reentry into the atmosphere over Texas. Ramon was awarded the Congressional Space Medal of Honor in 2004 and is the only foreign national to receive this honor. 

Today, Israel’s Space Agency maintains a diverse set of goals, which include expanding international cooperation in the fields of science and technology, supporting basic academic research associated with space, supporting development of unique and innovative space technologies and executing outreach and educational program to increase public awareness and to create enthusiasm for science amongst children and teens. 

Israel is the smallest country in the world with satellite launching capabilities and is one of eleven nations with the ability to launch unmanned missions into space. Israel is also leading in the development of small high resolution imaging satellites for low earth orbits. Among these satellites, is the Venμs Earth Observation Satellite. This very advanced satellite, designed in cooperation with the French space agency CNES, allows for the development of environment monitoring and precise agiruculture. There are currently ten Israeli satellites in space, which focus on the fields of communication, observation science and education. These satellites include the Amos, Ofek,and Eros series, among others. 

Israel continues to increase bilateral cooperation with a number of countries in the field of space and technology. In addition to a series of existing agreements with some of the world's leading space agencies, Israel recently signed cooperation agreements in space science and technology with India, Vietnam, and Mexico and is expected to sign additional agreements with more countries in the coming months. 

Following three bilaterial agreements on space technology signed between India and Israel during Indian Prime Minister Narenda Modi's visit to Israel in May 2017, Israel and India signed the Space Exploration Cooperation Agreement in January of 2018, when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited India. The agreement included a memorandum of understanding between the Technion Israel Institute of Technology and the Indian Institute of Space Science and Space Technology to establish cooperation in the field of space exploration. The two institutions will work closely together to create joint projects, encourage student exchange programs, and foster close collaboration between Israeli and Indian scientists.  

In October of 2017, Israel was appointed to the United Nation’s Steering Bureau of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOUS). COPUOS is responsible for “governing the exploration and use of space for the benefit of all humanity, reviewing international cooperation in peaceful uses of outer space, encouraging space research, and studying legal problems arising from the exploration of outer space.” 124 countries including the United States, Canada, France, and Germany voted in favor of the appointment. Israel has been a member of COPUOS since 2015 and a full member of the UN Committee on Space Affairs since 2016.  

The Venμs Satellite is a micro satellite developed jointly by the Israel Space Agency (ISA) and the French CNES space agency (Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales) and supplied by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI). The satellite was launched  into space by a Vega launcher from the Guiana Space Centre (CSG) on the evening of August 1, 2017. The satellite monitors earth’s climate and agricultural landscape from space, using a multi-spectral camera that can capture important details that are invisible to the human eye. Venus’s advanced camera and unprecedented precision will allow the satellite to collect revolutionary new levels of information on agriculture, biodiversity, water, and vegetation, and to identify trends to prevent climate change, pollution, and hunger. 

The Adelis Space Autonomous Mission for Swarming and Geolocating Nanosatellites (SAMSON), led by the Asher Space Research Institute at the Technion Israel Institute of Technology, will include a simultaneous launch of three nano-satellites for at least one year in order to test and demonstrate long-term autonomous cluster flight of multiple satellites. The satellites will be used to receive signals from earth and calculate the location of the source of transmission for search and rescue operations, remote sensing, and environmental monitoring. The satellites will be launched in 2018. 

The Spaceborne Hyperspectral Applicative Land and Ocean Mission (SHALOM) is a joint mission by the Israel Space Agency and the Italian Space Agency to develop a scientific and commercial hyperspectral satellites, which will play an important role in the fields of environmental protection, agriculture, and research. In October of 2015, the agencies signed a memorandum of understanding, which will bring the project to an operational stage by 2021. 

In 2015, the Israel Space Agency and NASA signed an agreement to increase cooperation in civilian space activities. The agreement, which was signed in Jerusalem during the International Astronautical Conference, enables both agencies to conduct joint missions, exchange personnel and scientific data. and share facilities. 

Israel is proud of its accomplishments in the field of space and will continue to work with the international community on space-related research, development and projects to promote a brighter future for all.  

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