Israel

Launch of Ofeq-16 on July 6, 2020. Photo credit: Yoav Weiss, courtesy of IAI.

July 2020

Overview

Israel’s space program was established in 1981 based on a pragmatic approach aimed to satisfy national security needs of early warning, deterrence, and self-reliance in advanced technologies. In 1988, Israel successfully launched its first satellite – Ofeq-1. “Ofeq” would go on to become a very successful line with increasingly advanced earth observation capabilities. 

In the 1990s, Israel’s space industry followed in the footsteps of many other technological sectors that were originally related to defense and began commercial spin-offs. As such, Israeli industries developed commercial platforms such as the Amos communication satellite series, EROS remote-sensing electro optical series, sub-systems and other equipment.

A decade ago, a national taskforce was appointed to recommend a new framework to allow Israel greater industrial scale and competitiveness in the growing world space market through focusing on civilian applications and scientific activity. Among the main recommendations, submitted in June 2010, was an increase in government funding for civil space projects.[1] The recommendations were partially implemented with only a modest increase of resources, but the local space ecosystem experienced growth. In addition, the Israel Space Agency (ISA) acted to enhance space in public educational outreach programs for children and youth.

In the last decade a profoundly important non-governmental initiative was the Beresheet Moon lander by SpaceIL. It was launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon-9 launcher in February 2019, and several weeks later it successfully entered into lunar orbit. While Beresheet crash-landed on the lunar surface on April 11, 2019, it nevertheless achieved most of its objectives and is seen as a trailblazing project for other private missions around the world.

Industrial Base

Israel’s space industry specializes in developing lightweight satellites for national security and commercial use. This, among other reasons, stems from its limited launching capabilities. Due to its geo-strategic situation, and the risk that parts might fall onto the territory of hostile states to its east, and because of the strategic threat involved in firing a projectile in their direction, Israel launches its satellites westward – opposite the rotation of the earth. This results in approximately a 30% loss in launch efficiency. Consequently, Israel’s launchers are limited to LEO. In addition, Israeli satellites are designed to be as light as possible to minimize the load on the launcher.

Traditionally, there was hardly any competition between the local industries involved in satellite manufacturing for Israel’s space program. Most of the defense industries in Israel are involved to some extent in the space program, each in its own niche. In this constellation, IAI group is the main contractor in many of the space projects and is in charge of assembling Ofeq, Amos and Eros satellites. Rafael Advanced Defense Systems’ propulsion department is the main propulsion systems supplier for Israel’s space projects, while Elbit’s El-op develops electro-optical payloads. Nevertheless, in 2019, both Rafael and Elbit each separately announced their decision to enter the nano-satellite systems market.[2][3]

A prominent provider of telecommunication solutions is Gilat Satcom, which specializes in global mobile satellite services.[4]

ISI (ImageSat International) is a commercial provider of satellite imagery and analysis services using the EROS series.

SpaceCom is a commercial provider of satellites communications services to Africa, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. Following the loss of Amos-6 in 2016, SpaceCom went through a difficult period commercially, but has since returned to profitability.

Following the impressive defense-related space advances and subsequent commercial and civil space enterprises, a community of space start-ups has emerged in Israel over the past ten years. The activities of a number of start-up companies, such as SpacePharma,[5] NSLcom, Effective Space Solutions (recently purchased by Astroscale), StemRad, Utilis, and others are noteworthy. Currently, Israel’s space ecosystem contains some 40+ companies.[6]

It is important to add that Israel’s space ecosystem also builds on a strong academia: The aerospace engineering faculty and the Asher Space Research Institute (ASRI) at the Technion, the Ben-Gurion University remote sensing laboratory, the School of Physics and Astronomy and the newly established center for small satellites at Tel Aviv University, the Weizmann Institute of Science, and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

Law & Policy

From 2009 to 2016, three committees reviewed Israel’s civil space activities. The first was the Presidential taskforce (2009-2010). The second operated under the National Council for Research and Development (2012-2015), and the third was formed after the loss of the Amos-6 communications satellite on the SpaceX launch pad in September 2016. This committee focused on communication satellites and provided its recommendations in December 2016.

The 2009-2010 Presidential taskforce envisioned greater commercial scale for Israel’s space industry. The resulting programs and policy, led to an increase in the allocations of funds to the ISA budget, as well as grants for start-ups and research in the civilian space fields (ISA’s grants are distributed through Israel’s Innovation Authority). The increase in the ISA budget was only a small portion of the original amount recommended by the taskforce.

Based on these recommendations, ISA also developed a community liaison and education office which funds and directs public educational programs for children and youth. Among the educational projects that have evolved is the Herzliya Science Center Space Lab. Since 2014, this project launched three nano-satellites built by high school students (Duchifat 1, 2 and 3). This taskforce also envisioned the potential need for future legislation of space law, but so far little has materialized.

The 2016 committee’s report called for a multi-year national plan focusing mainly on the full development and construction of four communications satellites by Israeli firms. To increase the overall competitiveness of Israeli space firms in the global market, the report recommended prioritizing the development of products and services in areas where Israel has a potential advantage, such as remote sensing, and space cybersecurity.[7]

Towards the end of 2018 a State Comptroller Report on the state of Israel’s communications satellites sector was released stating that “the State of Israel is facing an ongoing space crisis, with an emphasis on the field of communications satellites. This crisis was caused, among other things, by the lack of a national space policy, by the lack of a multi-year budget program derived from this policy; and due to only partial implementation, or lack of implementation at all, of the recommendations of various bodies operating in the country on space issues since 2009.”[8]

Only in January 2020, more than three years after the loss of Amos-6, an agreement was signed between Israel’s government and IAI for the development and construction of the Dror-1 communications satellite.[9]

International Engagements

ISA is collaborating with some of the following agencies: NASA, European Space Agency (ESA); National Center for Space Studies (CNES) of France, German Aerospace Center (DLR), the Italian Space Agency (ASI), and the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO). The motivation for international cooperation stems from the aspiration to capitalize on Israel’s relative strengths, especially in miniaturization; create synergy between Israeli institutions and industry and their peers in partner countries; provide business opportunities; and upgrade foreign relations between partner countries.

The following examples reflect concrete projects intended to achieve these objectives:

The VENµS high resolution and super-spectral satellite, launched in 2017, is a joint Israeli-French initiative to develop a satellite for a dual mission, both scientific and technological. The scientific objective was to provide data for studies that focus on monitoring, analyzing, and modeling land surfaces, given the influences of environmental factors and human activities. The technological objective was to demonstrate technology and test hardware, including electrical propulsion systems, in order to display accurate autonomous orbit control. Following its success, ISA and CNES signed a statement of intent in 2018 to develop a new environmental project called C3IEL, which will involve a constellation of three nano-satellites focusing on climate research.[10]

In April 2018, NASA and the ISA signed a collaboration agreement with DLR for the launch of StemRad’s AstroRad radiation protection vest aboard NASA’s Artemis-I mission around the Moon, the last test flight before NASA begins human deep space missions. Additionally, in 2019, AstroRad was used aboard the ISS for advanced ergonomic studies in microgravity.[11]

Beresheet, the non-governmental mission to the moon in 2019, involved significant international collaborations. These included NASA’s contribution of a laser retroreflector array to aid with ground tracking, and Deep Space Network’s support to aid in mission communication. ISA and SpaceIL shared data with NASA from Beresheet’s lunar magnetometer, and the data will be made publicly available through NASA’s Planetary Data System.[12] On its way to the moon, Beresheet relied on the Swedish Space Corporation’s worldwide network of antennas to communicate navigation commands to the spacecraft and track its trajectory.[13]

Israel also supports multilateral activities and initiatives towards the peaceful uses of outer space. In 2015, Israel was voted in as a regular member of the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space [COPUOS].[14] By 2017, Israel was voted to serve on the six-member Steering Bureau of COPUOS.[15]

Trajectories

Endnotes

[1] Paikowsky, D., and Levi, R., Space as a National Project – An Israeli Space Program for a Sustainable Israeli Space Industry, Presidential Taskforce for Space Activity Final Report, (Jerusalem: Israel Ministry of Science and Technology, June 2010).

The taskforce was headed by Mr. Menachem Greenblum, Director General Ministry of Science and Technology and Prof. Isaac Ben Israel, Chairman of the Israeli Space Agency.

[2] “The World’s 50 Most Innovative Companies”, fastcompany.com. March 10, 2020, https://www.fastcompany.com/90457907/space-most-innovative-companies-2020 (accessed April 10, 2020).

[3] Yuval Azulai, “Rafael develops nano surveillance satellites,” Globes.co.il. April 7, 2019, https://en.globes.co.il/en/article-rafael-enters-spy-satellite-market-1001281341. (accessed April 3, 2020).

[4] Gilat Satcom, https://www.Gilat.net (accessed March 28, 2020).

[5] “The World’s 50 Most Innovative Companies”, fastcompany.com.

[6] Search a comprehensive listing at https://newspacehub.co/.

[7] Government of the State of Israel, Ministry of Science and Technology, “Space Committee Report”, December 19, 2019, (in Hebrew) https://www.gov.il/he/departments/news/most_news20161220, Israel: Ministry of Science and Technology.

[8] Government of the State of Israel, State Comptroller Office, “National Strategic Activities – Decision Making Process Related to the Future of Communications Satellites in the State of Israel”, Annual report 69A, October 2018, (In Hebrew) Available at:  https://www.mevaker.gov.il/sites/DigitalLibrary/Documents/69a/2018-69a-304-Lavyanim.pdf?AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1, Israel: State Comptroller Office, page 8.

[9] Israeli Space Agency, “First National Communications Satellite, Dror 1, will provide Israel’s communications needs”, January 20, 2020, https://www.space.gov.il/news-space/131835 (accessed April 10, 2020).

[10] “France-Israel space cooperation CNES at the 14th Ilan Ramon Conference: NewSpace, VENμS and C3IE”, Israel Science Info, https://www.israelscienceinfo.com/en/physique/cooperation-spatiale-france-israel-newspace-ven%C2%B5s-et-c3iel-le-cnes-a-la-conference-ilan-ramon/ (accessed on March 28, 2020).

[11] Israeli Space Agency, Radiation Protection vest provided by ISA to be tested by NASA, April 17, 2018, https://www.space.gov.il/en/research-and-development/131220. (accessed April 10, 2020);  and Israeli Space Agency, “StemRad suit launched: Israeli flag flies in ISS), January 20, 2020, https://www.space.gov.il/news-space/131878. (accessed April 10, 2020, in Hebrew).

[12] Grey Hautaluoma, “NASA, Israel Space Agency Sign Agreement for Commercial Lunar Cooperation,” NASA.com. October 3^rd, 2018, https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-israel-space-agency-sign-agreement-for-commercial-lunar-cooperation. (accessed March 29, 2020).

[13] Swedish Space Company, “SSC to support first-ever Israeli Moon mission,” SSCspace.com, February 3, 2019, https://www.sscspace.com/ssc-to-support-first-ever-israeli-moon-mission/. (accessed April 19, 2020).

[14] “Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space: Membership Evolution”, United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs, https://www.unoosa.org/oosa/en/ourwork/copuos/members/evolution.html (accessed April 7, 2020).

[15] “Israel elected to UN Space Committee (COPUOS)”, Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs, https://mfa.gov.il/MFA/PressRoom/Pages/Israel-to-Lead-.aspx (accessed April 7, 2020).

Dr. Deganit Paikowsky is a Lecturer at Hebrew University of Jerusalem and a Non-resident Scholar at the Space Policy Institute at George Washington University.

Tal Azoulay is a Space Policy Researcher and Lecturer, formerly of Tel Aviv University.

The views expressed in this SPARC Brief are those of the authors, and do not reflect the official policy or position of SPARC or the University of Washington.