VZCZCXYZ0000
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHTV #1867 2371251
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 251251Z AUG 09
FM AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3178
INFO RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 1756
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 7944

UNCLAS TEL AVIV 001867 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
Department for OES/SAT and NEA/IPA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: TSPA PREL IS
SUBJECT: ISRAEL SPACE AGENCY HAS HIGH AMBITIONS 
 
¶1. (SBU) Post ESTOff met with Zvi Kaplan, Director General of the 
Israel Space Agency (ISA), on August 25, who outlined an ambitious 
agenda for Israel in space sciences, and in particular for the ISA's 
showcase conference in January.  This message is background and 
heads-up for likely engagement by the Department and Post on these 
issues in coming months. 
 
¶2. (SBU) During the meeting, Kaplan provided a copy of his letter to 
NASA Administrator Charles Bolden, sent August 5, inviting him to be 
the keynote speaker at the Fifth Ilan Ramon International Space 
Conference to be held near Tel Aviv January 27-29, 2010.  (Ramon was 
the Israeli astronaut who died on the space shuttle Columbia in 2003 
along with the American crew.)  This annual conference organized by 
the Fisher Institute of Air & Space Studies, the ISA and corporate 
sponsors, convenes leaders in spaces sciences from business, 
academia and government with a focus on policy, new technology, and 
science education.   USG attendance in previous years has usually 
included several NASA scientists and an astronaut or two; last year 
Pete Worden, head of NASA Ames Research Center attended, and post 
understands he is inclined to return this year.  Post supports the 
invitation to Bolden, and encourages a strong NASA delegation for 
the conference. 
 
¶3. (SBU) The ISA DG also outlined other ambitions for Israel's space 
program.  As he has already voiced to NASA, Kaplan wants to see 
another Israeli astronaut participating in the manned flight 
program.  He acknowledged that NASA's manned flight program faced an 
uncertain future given the constrained NASA budget, and that the USG 
had several major decisions to make regarding the Agency's future 
priorities.  Nonetheless, manned flight is what focuses public 
attention and motivates students to go into science, and he wants 
Israel to be part of it, even if it is a decade down the road. 
Second, Kaplan hopes that Israel can participate in NASA's Lunar 
Science Institute.  He understands that Korea and Canada are already 
cooperating with the NLSI.   Although Israel's Space Agency is a 
small body that coordinates and promotes Israel's academic and 
business space science capabilities, and unlike NASA operates no 
labs of its own, ISA plays a role in fostering greater interaction 
between Israeli and foreign researchers. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Third, the ISA is working with private sector consortia 
preparing a proposal for the Discovery Mission solicitation 
regarding mapping Venus.  Israel has proven expertise in small 
payload systems design, and has good value-added to contribute in 
mapping missions.  (Comment: Israel also hopes to use this type of 
high visibility project to promote sales of Israeli technology 
applications overseas.) 
 
¶5. (SBU) Kaplan's ultimate goal is to have a bilateral space science 
cooperation agreement between the US and Israel.  Although ISA is a 
small counterpart compared to NASA, he believes Israel's prowess in 
high technology fields makes it a desirable partner in 
research-dependent fields such as space science.  Kaplan says Israel 
has a bilateral cooperation agreement on space research in place 
with France, and expects this November to sign one with Italy. 
Discussions are also proceeding with Russia on a space science 
cooperation agreement, but it is unlikely to be ready in time for a 
planned visit by Putin to Israel in October. 
 
¶6. (SBU) Comment:  Post is aware of Israeli ongoing participation in 
NASA's ECHO project, but agrees there is no large, bilateral 
framework for exchange and cooperation in space sciences.   NASA's 
favorable impressions from last year's Ramon Conference visit, 
during which time the delegation had considerable contact with 
Israeli industry and academia, indicate that such an agreement may 
merit serious consideration. 
 
CUNNINGHAM