VZCZCXYZ0000
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DE RUEHTV #0391/01 0501048
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 191048Z FEB 10
FM AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5544
INFO RUEANAT/NASA WASHDC
RUEHJM/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM 3763
RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN 7308

UNCLAS TEL AVIV 000391 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR OES/S, NEA/RA AND NEA/IPA 
AMMAN FOR ESTH - BHALLA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: TSPA ETRD PREL IS
SUBJECT: NASA Administrator Visits Israel 
 
¶1. (U) Summary.  NASA Administrator Charles Bolden visited Israel 
January 23-28 to present the keynote speech at the Fifth Ilan Ramon 
International Space Conference, to commemorate the legacy of 
Israel's first astronaut, and to meet with senior Israeli government 
officials to discuss opportunities for enhanced civil space 
cooperation.  Administrator Bolden was joined by Assistant 
Administrator for External Relations Michael O'Brien and several 
NASA research scientists.  Administrator Bolden met with President 
Shimon Peres, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, Minister of Science 
and Technology Daniel Hershkovits, Deputy Minister of Foreign 
Affairs, Daniel Ayalon, U.S. Ambassador to Israel James Cunningham 
and Israel Space Agency Director General Zvi Kaplan.  During the 
visit, Administrator Bolden visited with Rona Ramon, the widow of 
the Israeli Astronaut who died during NASA's STS-107 Columbia 
mission, and the Administrator visited astronaut Ilan Ramon's 
gravesite.  Administrator Bolden also met with Israel's leading 
aerospace companies, gave a presentation to Israeli high school 
students, and signed a joint statement making Israel an affiliate 
partner of the NASA Lunar Science Institute.  Discussions with 
Israeli officials yielded agreement to explore further ways the two 
countries could deepen cooperation on earth science research.  End 
Summary. 
 
¶2. (U) Administrator Bolden met President Peres on January 24, 
accompanied by Ambassador Cunningham and Science Minister 
Hershkovitz.  Peres talked of the tie forged between the two states 
by Ilan Ramon's death in the shuttle Columbia accident, and asked 
for continued partnership with the US in space research.  Israel's 
two greatest friends, Peres noted, are the United States and science 
research.  Finding ways to do things better, higher and cheaper 
under resource constraints he said was an Israeli specialty, and he 
hoped Israeli research would be tapped by the US.  Israelis are 
risk-takers, Peres said, and he asked that Israel be included in 
NASA's future manned space program.  Minister Hershkovits said 
Israel's space program draws inspiration domestically from Ilan 
Ramon and internationally from NASA's example of expertise.  Bolden 
lauded the accomplishments of Israel and contributions of Ilan 
Ramon, while underscoring that NASA's future programs were being 
decided over the coming weeks.  The future budget is unclear, he 
stressed, and the manned shuttle program was ending after coming 
September's flight.   Bolden noted that many technical problems have 
to be solved before future long duration human space missions are 
feasible and remarked how Israel is a world leader in technology 
development.  Administrator Bolden noted that it may be possible to 
begin discussions on future flight opportunities for an Israeli 
astronaut after NASA receives guidance on the future of its human 
spaceflight. 
 
 
¶3. (SBU) When meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu, potential 
future cooperation was discussed.    The Prime Minister also 
inquired about having another Israeli astronaut.  NASA again 
mentioned that  the shuttle program is ending and the future of 
manned spaceflight is currently being reviewed.  The potential for 
benefits to industry and science in both countries was recognized by 
both parties, and it was agreed that further discussions should be 
held by the respective space agencies to develop possible avenues 
for closer cooperation.  The Prime Minister gave the Head of the 
Israeli Space Agency the action to work with NASA to develop a 
future cooperation plan. 
 
¶4. (U)  Addressing the Fifth Ilan Ramon Conference, Administrator 
Bolden  gave a brief overview of NASA's work in space operations, 
aeronautics, science, and exploration.  The Administrator 
highlighted NASA's cooperation, and how the agency is always 
searching for opportunities for mutually beneficial areas of 
collaboration on research and space exploration.  Administrator 
Bolden also noted the importance NASA assigns to education, as 
stimulating student interest in science encourages future engineers 
and researchers, ultimately advancing technology and innovation.  He 
lauded the role Rona Ramon has taken on in promoting science 
education in Israel.  Separately, Bolden also met with fifty high 
school students at the American Center in Jerusalem, and gave an 
educational presentation  on the Space Shuttle missions the 
Administrator commanded, as a former astronaut, and on NASA's 
overall mission. 
 
¶5. (U) Administrator Bolden visited several of Israel's leading 
aerospace industries, including ElBit Optical systems, Israel 
Aerospace Industries, and Raphael.  At each stop, he received 
briefings on Israel's latest technology, ranging from remote sensing 
and observations to satellite building to Israel's independent 
launch capacity. 
 
¶6. (U) On January 27, Administrator Bolden signed a joint 
declaration with ISA Director Zvi Kaplan making Israel an affiliate 
of the NASA Lunar Science Institute (NLSI).  The NLSI is a 
partnership program to provide collaboration opportunities for 
researchers, and will link the Israel Network for Lunar Science and 
Exploration with similar institutions in the US, Canada, and Korea. 
Ben Gurion University in Beersheva will be Isral's liaison with the 
NLSI.  The research programof the NLSI includes investigations of 
the moon iself, of the lunar environment's effects on terresrial 
life, and of science inquiry using the moonas an observation 
platform. 
 
¶7. (SBU) Comment nd Next Steps: The Prime Minister's charge to 
exlore avenues for deeper cooperation will be defined in part by 
coming pivotal decisions being made by the Administration and 
Congress regarding NASA's future direction and funding.  Bolden 
cautioned Israeli interlocutors that NASA, as a civilian agency, is 
not the chief market for Israeli aerospace technology that some 
companies believe.  Although NASA has contracted with private 
companies as needed (e.g., SpaceX for lift capacity in the 
post-shuttle era), future US-Israeli collaboration is likely to be 
more research and science-based than commercially-based.  NASA's 
future cooperation with Israel is likely to be with the Israeli 
Space Agency rather than directly with any Israeli companies.  NASA 
will continue to discuss the possibility of a framework agreement 
with the Israeli Space Agency on cooperation and specific 
cooperation on education, earth science, launch safety, and hyper 
spectral data.  NASA will look into the possibility of holding a 
workshop in the Middle East to allow scientists and decision makers 
from the Middle East to discuss potential change in future water 
yield with a changing climate, and demonstrate how remote sensing 
can be used to better manage and study water resources.  NASA also 
agreed to host a visit of the Israeli Minister of Science and 
Technology and the Head of the Israeli Space Agency when they travel 
to the U.S. 
 
Cunningham