Israel, NASA Reach Agreement to Send First Israeli Female Astronaut to Space
by Shiryn Ghermezian
Axiom’s four-man team lifts off, riding atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket in the first private astronaut mission to the International Space Station, from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, US, April 8, 2022. Photo: REUTERS/Steve Nesius
Israel has reached an agreement with the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to send the first Israeli woman astronaut to space, Israel’s Minister of Innovation, Science, and Technology Gila Gamliel announced on Monday at the Israel Space Agency’s 20th Ilan Ramon International Space Conference.
“We received approval from NASA to send the first Israeli female astronaut into space,” Gamliel said at the conference in Tel Aviv. “We in Israel have now begun the process of searching for our candidate among our brave women.”
Gamliel, who visited NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston in September, did not elaborate on when or in what capacity the Israeli female astronaut will join NASA as part of a mission into space.
“This milestone will serve as an inspiration for future generations and emphasize the importance of gender equality in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics,” she added.
Israel’s President Isaac Herzog, who is in New York to speak at the United Nations as part of an event honoring the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz concentration camp, sent a pre-recorded message that was played at the Ramon Conference.
“We are living in an incredibly exciting times for space exploration,” Herzog said. “Humanity is discovering new ways to use space technologies not only to explore the stars, but to advance global health, stability, and prosperity on our own planet. Space exploration is the next frontier for humanity, and I am convinced that it will play an increasingly bigger role in science and that humanity will ultimately settle in space as well.”
“Israel, despite its small size, is a global trailblazer in the field of space,” he added. “Already now, we partner with the leading space programs in the world, including with some of our Abraham Accords partners. I am hopeful that we will see many exciting new collaborations ahead. This leadership at the forefront of new space is absolutely critical for Israel’s future security, prosperity, and scientific leadership in the world, and we must make it a top priority.”
The Ilan Ramon International Space Conference is named after the first Israeli astronaut, who was killed along with his six crewmates in February 2003 when NASA’s space shuttle Columbia broke apart as it returned to Earth’s atmosphere. Ramon was 48 years old.
“NASA and Israel have a long-standing relationship, and this is an exciting time in space for both of our nations,” said NASA Associate Administrator Jim Free in a recorded message shared at the conference on Monday. He noted Ramon’s legacy as the first Israeli astronaut and also mentioned Israeli citizen Eitan Stiva and his historic first private astronaut mission to the International Space Station. He additionally mentioned that NASA and Israel have extended their partnership regarding moon exploration.
The Israeli company Stream Red developed a radiation belt that was sent to the space station and on the Artemis 1 experimental mission, and has helped improve the understanding of radiation exposure on Earth. In 2022, Israel signed the Artemis Accords to show its commitment to scientific cooperation and space exploration.
