Israel, EU Ink Space Agreement

YERUSHALAYIM

Israel and the European Union may not get along on land (especially if its over the Green Line), but in outer space they’re best of friends.

According to a new agreement, they will be partners in a 30-satellite orbital system, doing everything from checking out weather and climate patterns to monitoring outer space and providing GPS services to Earth, The Times of Israel reported.

EU officials touted the new project as the only system to provide services like GPS from satellites belonging to a civilian rather than military organizationy. In addition, the new satellites will provide more coverage, bandwidth, and availability of satellite-based services.

Israeli researchers and companies are to have access to projects associated with the EU’s Galileo satellite program.

Known by its full name — The Cooperation Agreement on a Civil Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) between the European Community and its Member States and the State of Israel — it was signed by EU’s Antonio Tajani, Vice President of the European Commission, responsible for Industry and Entrepreneurship, and the incoming EU Ambassador to Israel, Lars Faaborg-Andersen.

On the Israel side, Science and Technology Minister Yaakov Peri and the head of the Israel Space Agency, Menachem Kidron, signed on.

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