​(Communicated by the Science, Technology and Space Ministry Spokesperson)

Science, Technology and Space Minister Ofir Akunis, today (Wednesday, 2 August 2017), spoke with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and updated him on this morning's successful launch of the Venus satellite. The Prime Minister congratulated him on the success of the launch and said, "Israel stands at the top of the world's leading countries in science, technology, innovation and the space industry. The success of the launch is additional proof of this and I congratulate all those involved in this important and advanced project."

Minister Akunis noted the need to continue budgeting for similar projects in the future in order to maintain Israel's status as a power in the field of satellites, exactly as then Finance Minister Netanyahu did in 2005 when he provided an initial $14 million budget which paved the way for today's successful launch of the Venus satellite.