Top Israeli scientific officials will go to India next week to sign an agreement which will provide for the installation of Israeli space telescopes on an Indian satellite.
Science and Technology Minister Eliezer Sandberg (Shinui) and Aby Har-Even, Director-General of the Israel Space Agency, will visit New Delhi and India's hi-tech hub Bangalore on their upcoming trip due to take place December 22nd -25th.
According to an announcement by Israel’s embassy in India, the representatives of the Israeli and Indian space programs will sign a pact to launch Tauvex, a set of three telescopes able to image ultraviolet sky on board India's GSAT-4 satellite.
Tauvex, developed by Tel Aviv University, is designed to study black holes, the formation of stars, and other astronomical phenomena, which could aid in pin-pointing further research for other space telescopes such as the US Hubble.
Israel originally planned to launch Tauvex through the Russian space program but the plan was delayed due to budget constraints in Moscow.
"Tauvex on the GSAT-4 offers a unique opportunity to perform first-class science that would put Indian and Israeli scientists in the frontline of space astrophysics," an embassy statement said.
India and Israel established diplomatic relations only in 1992 but have since rapidly expanded cooperation, particularly in areas of defense and scientific research.
PM Ariel Sharon made the first visit to India by a sitting Israeli prime minister in September of this year.
Science and Technology Minister Eliezer Sandberg (Shinui) and Aby Har-Even, Director-General of the Israel Space Agency, will visit New Delhi and India's hi-tech hub Bangalore on their upcoming trip due to take place December 22nd -25th.
According to an announcement by Israel’s embassy in India, the representatives of the Israeli and Indian space programs will sign a pact to launch Tauvex, a set of three telescopes able to image ultraviolet sky on board India's GSAT-4 satellite.
Tauvex, developed by Tel Aviv University, is designed to study black holes, the formation of stars, and other astronomical phenomena, which could aid in pin-pointing further research for other space telescopes such as the US Hubble.
Israel originally planned to launch Tauvex through the Russian space program but the plan was delayed due to budget constraints in Moscow.
"Tauvex on the GSAT-4 offers a unique opportunity to perform first-class science that would put Indian and Israeli scientists in the frontline of space astrophysics," an embassy statement said.
India and Israel established diplomatic relations only in 1992 but have since rapidly expanded cooperation, particularly in areas of defense and scientific research.
PM Ariel Sharon made the first visit to India by a sitting Israeli prime minister in September of this year.