The Eighth Annual International Ilan Ramon Space Conference took place this week in Herzliya and was attended by many representatives from around the world. Brig. Gen (res.) Asaf Agmon, CEO of the Fisher Institute for Air and Space Strategic Studies, told Arutz Sheva TV that this year's event was attended by the largest number of foreign delegations ever and this is seen as yet another approval and confirmation of the contribution of the Israeli space community to the International space community.
In addition to the contribution the event had to research and development, it is also a yearly event honoring the space shuttle Columbia mission, STS-107, commemorating the deceased crew which included the first Israeli astronaut, Ilan Ramon.
The conference was attended by Minister of Science and Technology Rabbi Prof. Daniel Hershkowitz, Menachem Kidron, Director General of the Israel Space Agency, Rona Ramon, widow of Israeli astronaut Ilan Ramon, NASA Administrator Charles Bolden, IAF Commander Maj. Gen. Amir Eshel, and many other senior officials.
The sessions at the conference dealt with many issues, including the challenges of space operations, international co-operations, space exploration, the EU's role in space, entrepreneurship, innovations and non-traditional applications of space, and the activities towards unified satellite architecture.