JERUSALEM, Aug. 4 (Xinhua) — Israel will establish a national space research and development (R&D) lab with 40 million shekels (some 11.7 million U.S. dollars) in government funding, the Israeli Innovation Authority and the Israel Space Agency announced Monday.
The lab, which aims to accelerate Israel’s entry into the global space market, will provide end-to-end services, including R&D, satellite launches, system integration, and data analysis, enabling startups, companies, and academic institutions to test technologies in orbit, they announced in a joint statement.
As a national innovation hub, the lab will support early-stage ventures, foster global aerospace partnerships, and bridge academia with industry, they said, adding that at least 15 Israeli-developed payloads are slated for orbital launch within three years.
“Investing in a national launch lab will allow Israeli companies to test their technologies in space, boost our international presence in the field, and help drive future economic growth,” said Israeli Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology Gila Gamliel.
