The third edition of the Executive Space Course, held in Tel Aviv, Israel, was co-organized by the International Space University (ISU) and The Ramon Foundation and hosted by N.B.A Law. This course was primarily addressed to professionals in Israel and the Eastern Mediterranean and gathered 18 participants, including one from Germany—joining the ISU alumni community!
This class comprised a diverse group of professionals from different companies and organizations from the Israeli ecosystem and worldwide.
The participants came from all parts of the industry:
- Raphael
- Moonshot
- SPS
- BSEL
- BHAG Space
- Tomer
- B.A. Law
- Elbit
The course, held from November 17 to 22, featured speakers from diverse sectors within the space industry, including Israeli and international experts. The presentations blended academia and industry, offering professional insights and motivational content. Notably, 52% of the speakers were ISU alumni, and 40% were women.
The course began with greetings from Mr. Uri Oron, the Director General of the Israel Space Agency; Mr. Gil Doron, the Managing Director of the Ramon Foundation; and Iftach Ramon, the son of the late Colonel Ilan Ramon, the Israeli astronaut who lost his life with the Columbia crew.
The course was introduced by Dr. Francois Spiero, a member of the ISU Academic Council and the European Space Affairs Manager at the French Prime Minister’s Office. He was followed by 25 lecturers and experts, all coordinated by the ESC24 Tel Aviv faculty, Mr. Ofer Lapid, a member of the ISU global faculty and the ISU Board of Trustees.
The speakers included:
– Gil Doron, Senior Director Business Development – ImagesSat International I Former CEO – Ramon Foundation I Former Chairman – Rakia Mission I Israel Astronomy Association Board Member
– Ofer Lapid, Faculty and Trustee at International Space University
– Prof. Dan Blumberg, Chairman of the Israel Space Agency
– Prof. Ran Ginosar, President of Ramon.Space
– Prof. PJ Blount, Assistant Professor of Space Law, Durham University
– Ofir Azriel, Managing Director of AstroScale Israel
– Rei Gopher, Co-Founder of Tomorrow.io
– Renana Ashkenazi, Partner at Grove VC
– Kelli Kedis Ogborn, Vice President of Space Commerce and Entrepreneurship, Space Foundation
– Storm Boswick, Founder Founder, TRE Advisors
– Raphael Roettgen, Founder & Partner, E2MC Ventures
– Ran Livne, Senior Director Business Development – ImagesSat International, Former CEO – Ramon Foundation, Former Chairman – Rakia Mission, Israel Astronomy Association Board Member
– Tal Inbar, Head of the Space Research Center at the Fisher Institute for Air & Space Strategic Studies
– Maayane Soumagnac, Senior Lecturer (Assistant Professor), Big-data Astrophysicist
– Maya Glickman, Satellite constellation master, Space entrepreneur, Satellite operations expert and Space engineering educator
– Danielle Palatchi, Aerospace system engineer
– Ehud Hayun, VP of Engineering at ImageSat International (ISI)
– Eran Schenker, Medical Director. Chief Medical Innovation Officer (CMIO) OmnySense
– Melody Korman, Executive Director| Israel Space Forum
– Eytan Stibbe, AX-1 Astronauts, Rakia Mission
– Yoav Simhiny, Doctoral Researcher | Tel Aviv University
– Spiero Francois, Manager, European Space Affairs at the French Prime Minister’s Office / Member of the ISU Academic Council
– Semion Semionov, VP R&D at Astroscale Israel
A week of academic learning punctuated with space-related events, including an exclusive visit to the Israeli Aerospace Industries (IAI). Participants were exposed to cutting-edge advancements in aerospace technology, satellite development, and defense systems. The group also enjoyed a tour of IAI’s facilities, gaining firsthand insights into Israel’s significant contributions to the global space industry.
Other highlights included hands-on workshops and interactive discussions, allowing participants to exchange ideas and connect with industry leaders and fellow alumni. The course started with an Icebreaker night, marking the graduates’ official induction into the ISU alumni community, which is now enriched by their diverse professional backgrounds and shared passion for space exploration.
“The organizers were amazing; they care about the subject, and it shows. I had a great time.” Said one participant. “I like the content diversity.” Commented another participant.
We thank the participants, The Ramon Foundation and Mr. Ofer Lapid, for supporting this ISU short course in achieving its objectives. This program focuses on building space capacity, attracting new participants, teaching space terminology, and providing multidisciplinary knowledge. It also allows participants to engage professionally with the space community and develop personal networks to further their career goals.
Next Executive Space Course: at ISU Central Campus in April 2025
