Source: ISRAEL21c
The annual Israel Space Week – with activities for the whole family – lectures, contests, demonstrations and museum exhibits flaunting Israel’s expertise in space technology will be held between January 25 – 29, 2015. The event is held in memory of the late Israeli astronaut, Ilan Ramon. To mark the occasion, the Science, Technology, and Space Ministry is opening the largest and most comprehensive website on Israeli activities related to space. The website is designed with a special atmosphere and provides film clips, space news, information on technologies, and central themes and ideas for home activities.
The website will also present information on international cooperation on building satellites, academic research supported by the Israel Space Agency, scholarships, frequently-asked questions, competitions, professional meetings, training courses, and Space Week activities.
NASA Astronauts Nicole Stott and Rex Walhaim, who will speak at the 10th Ilan Ramon International Space Conference (January 28-29, 2015) took part in the opening of the new space exhibit at the Land of Israel (Eretz Yisrael) Museum in Tel Aviv on January 25, 2015. Children lined up to have their photographs with the “real” astronauts thus proving the point of Space Week – to inspire children.
SpaceIL – the Israeli team hoping to land Israel’s first unmanned spacecraft on the moon as part of the Google Lunar X Prize – had an information booth at the museum. SpaceIL has said it will use the potential $20 million prize money to promote science and scientific education in Israel. Taking its cue from this mission, the Ministry of Science, Technology and Space is using Space Week to inaugurate the Israel Space Academy – which will seek, recruit and train Israel’s future astronauts.
The Ramon Olympics for middle-school students will be held on Thursday at the Weizmann Institute. The teens will be tested on their knowledge of space technology and astronomy.