Israel Joins UN Space Agency

Israel Space Week marked a milestone in the country’s participation in mankind’s exploration of space with an invitation from the UN Office of Space Affairs (UNOOSA) to the Israel Space Agency (ISA) to cooperate on civilian space matters.

Membership in the UN Committee on Space Affairs will enable Israeli scientists, engineers and administrators to meet and work with their counterparts around the world on space science and technology.

Daniel Brook, an ISA adviser on international cooperation, said the signing “constitutes an additional milestone in strengthening ties between Israel and UNOOSA. Israel will be able to contribute more of our know-how and abilities for peace and pave the way for expanding international cooperation in space. We will be in the small circle of countries that influence world priorities in the field.”

Among the issues the UN office is tackling are: coping with space garbage, global planning, protection from asteroids, regulation of sending satellites and setting ethical rules for countries’ behavior in space.

The accord was carried out by UNOOSA head Prof. Simonetta Di Pippo and ISA director Menahem Kidron.