Space Zionism: A Small Country in a Large Universe
Israel is small on the map, and it will stay small. In space, this matters less than one might expect. What counts there is the ability to build, operate and share.
What has been done
The record is still short but real. Ilan Ramon, Israel’s first astronaut, was killed in 2003 when Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated on re-entry (Times of Israel, 2022). Eytan Stibbe became the second Israeli in space on April 8, 2022 (Rakia Mission), carrying 44 experiments from Israeli scientists, entrepreneurs and students (ISRAEL21c, 2022). Beresheet crashed during its 2019 lunar landing, but was still the first privately funded spacecraft to reach lunar orbit (Calcalist Tech).
The industry behind these missions is changing. Startup Nation Central reports that the sector is moving toward civilian services, data and global commercial applications, and grew by 66% over the past decade, faster than Israeli high-tech overall (Calcalist Tech, 2026). About 90 companies are now active (HaYadan, 2026). The Israel Space Agency aims to grow employment from 2,500 to 10,000 and annual sales from $1 billion to $4 billion (SmallSat News, 2022). Israel also became the 15th signatory of the Artemis Accords (NoCamels, 2022).
What Space Zionism is, and is not
It is not about territory. The Artemis Accords implement the 1967 Outer Space Treaty (NoCamels, 2022), and no state claims land in space. It is about something simpler: that a people should not depend entirely on others for the infrastructure of modern life. Communications, water and climate monitoring, agriculture and disaster response increasingly run through orbit. Building some of this capacity at home is a modest and reasonable form of independence.
Cooperation, not only capacity
Capacity is worth little if it is kept to oneself. Here the record is encouraging. In 2021, Israel and the UAE agreed to collaborate on space projects, including the Beresheet 2 Moon mission (Times of Israel, 2021). Environmental and vegetation data from an Israeli-French microsatellite was to be shared with the UAE (Gulf News, 2021), and Israeli and Emirati students were to design a satellite to help both the Hebrew and Muslim calendars determine the new moon (Al-Monitor, 2021). In 2023, Israel and Azerbaijan signed an agreement covering satellites, exploration robotics and Earth observation (NoCamels, 2023).
Africa is, for now, mostly potential. Israel Space Agency leadership has noted growing Israeli interest in African space services (Space in Africa, 2020), and Israeli firms already use satellite imagery to support farmers in over 35 countries (ImpactAlpha). Regions facing drought and heat share our problems. They could share the tools as well.
Limits
Two limits should be stated plainly. Funding is fragile: the donors behind Beresheet 2 withdrew (Calcalist Tech), and the mission was frozen, though not abandoned (Ynetnews, 2025). And a country of Israel’s size will always depend on partners. Independence here means being useful to others, not being alone.
Conclusion
The universe is not measured in dunams. Israel’s place in space will be defined by what it builds and with whom. That work should be done together with neighbours in the Middle East, Africa and beyond, and judged by how many people it serves. Zionism began as an answer to powerlessness. Its next chapter should make sure that, above our heads as well as beneath our feet, the Jewish people are never powerless again, and that what we build there benefits others too.
References
Al-Monitor (2021). Israel, Emirates to collaborate in space. https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2021/10/israel-emirates-collaborate-space
Calcalist Tech. Beresheet (topic page). https://www.calcalistech.com/tags/Beresheet/0
Calcalist Tech (2026). From secret satellites to civilian services: Israel’s space industry reinvents itself. https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/cge01z1g1
Gulf News (2021). UAE, Israel sign historic pact to enhance space cooperation. https://gulfnews.com/amp/uae/uae-israel-sign-historic-pact-to-enhance-space-cooperation-1.83081877
HaYadan (2026). SNC 2026 Report: Israeli space industry transitions to global national infrastructure. https://hayadan.com/Israeli-space-tech-ecosystem-2026-report
ImpactAlpha. Israel’s Agritask raises $26 million for sensor data for farmers. https://impactalpha.com/israels-agritask-raises-26-million-for-sensor-data-for-farmers/
ISRAEL21c (2022). Eytan Stibbe’s Rakia mission. https://www.israel21c.org/?p=119778
NoCamels (2022). Israel signs Artemis Accords. https://nocamels.com/?p=107540
NoCamels (2023). Israel and Azerbaijan space agreement. https://nocamels.com/?p=124607
Rakia Mission. About. https://eng.rakiamission.co.il/about
SmallSat News (2022). Strategic plan for the Israeli civilian space agency. https://smallsatnews.com/2022/05/26/strategic-plan-for-the-israeli-civilian-space-agency-forwarded-by-the-israel-space-agency/
Space in Africa (2020). “African space market will grow in the next decade” – Israel Space Agency DG. https://spaceinafrica.com/2020/07/16/african-space-market-will-grow-in-the-next-decade-israel-space-agency-dg/
Times of Israel (2021). Israel, UAE to launch joint space projects, including Beresheet 2 Moon mission. https://timesofisrael.com/israel-uae-to-launch-joint-space-projects-including-beresheet-2-moon-mission
Times of Israel (2022). Second-ever Israeli astronaut says he is acclimating to life without gravity. https://www.timesofisrael.com/second-ever-israeli-astronaut-says-he-is-acclimating-to-life-without-gravity/
Ynetnews (2025). From moonshot to funding freeze: SpaceIL halts Beresheet 2 lunar mission. https://www.ynetnews.com/topics/Bereshit
