14 DAY TRIAL // Officials from the American space agency and the Israeli Space Agency (ISA) signed a document meant to foster additional cooperation in the field of civilian space activities. The two organizations already share fruitful agreements, but the new document is meant to ensure even more projects are executed jointly.
The official ceremony took place Tuesday, August 10. The documents were signed by Administrator Charles Bolden, for NASA, and Director General Zvi Kaplan, for ISA.
The joint statement of intent comes on the heels of a visit that Bolden made to Israel this January. It was the discussions Bolden, Kaplan and Israel's minister of science and technology professor Daniel Hershkowitz had at the time that led to the signing of the new statement.
“The agencies agreed to identify new joint activities related to Earth and space science, life sciences, space exploration and other areas of mutual interest. The goal is to expand scientific exchanges and inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers,” NASA officials say in a press release.
According to the signed agreements, NASA and ISA can collaborate closely in a wide variety of fields of research. These include, among others, space geodesy and hydrological observations. The first category includes numerous smaller areas of interest.
Measuring Earth's gravity from orbit, assessing the traits of global tides, and determining the speed at which the planet's pole move, all are part of common interests shared by the two space agencies. Additionally, the new document will facilitate science conducted in Earth's natural water cycle.
From now on, ISA will be involved more actively in the Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) education program, officials announced after the meeting on Tuesday.
Furthermore, collaboration will also take place in the fields of “launch and range safety, remote sensing data cooperation; and use of the International Space Station (ISS) for Israeli research and educational experiments,” the NASA announcement adds.
The American space agency is represented in the partnership by the Office of International and Interagency Relations (OIIR). Its goal is to provide executive leadership and coordination for all NASA international activities and partnerships, and for policy interactions between NASA and other US Executive Branch offices and agencies. Follow me on Twitter @TudorVieru