Sun Over Isfiya, Moon Over Italy: This Week in Space

Catching Sunlight on Mount Carmel

Israel’s national solar observatory for research and education was inaugurated last week in Isfiya on Mount Carmel. The Solaris observatory was built and is operated by Space Valley, a company dedicated to developing infrastructure for education, research, and community engagement in space sciences, particularly in northern Israel’s periphery. The project is funded by the Ministry of Innovation, Science, and Technology and supported by the Isfiya Council, which provided the building within the town’s youth center.

The observatory houses four 102-millimeter solar telescopes, each equipped with a different filter to capture light emissions from various elements, allowing the study of different regions of the Sun and its atmosphere. These telescopes enable research on the chromosphere (hydrogen lines), hot layers (calcium lines), the photosphere (sodium lines), and regions with strong magnetic fields (magnesium lines). Additionally, the facility includes two nighttime telescopes: a 300-millimeter telescope for observing deep-space objects and a 180-millimeter telescope for studying the Solar System and planets. The observatory also features a visitor center, where live broadcasts from the telescopes are displayed on a large screen.

The activity of different regions of the Sun can be analyzed based on their emitted wavelengths. A solar image captured at the new observatory | Photo: Space Valley

"The observatory is designed for research at all levels, from academic studies to elementary school education. Since the telescopes are fully digital, we can provide access to anyone, anywhere. For example, we are planning a collaboration with NASA’s solar observatory, as we can capture real-time images of the Sun when it is nighttime in the U.S.," explained Dr. Marina Hetz, CEO of Space Valley, in an interview with the Davidson Institute website. "We also hope to collaborate with researchers from other fields, such as medical studies on radiation exposure, which could be informed by the solar activity we measure."

מקווים לשיתופי פעולה רבים, וגם לשמש מוקד לנוער מהיישוב. הכניסה למרכז המבקרים של טלסקופ סולאריס | צילום: Space Valley

The observatory was established in Isfiya as part of the Israel Space Agency’s policy to promote astronomical activity in peripheral and non-Jewish communities. The Ministry of Science allocated ₪1.15 million for its construction and an additional ₪600,000 for operations over three years, but this funding is insufficient.

"We have also invested our own funds and are working to secure additional partnerships and support," said Dr. Marina Hetz. "Our vision is for the Isfiya observatory to become a hub for students eager for hands-on learning, producing final projects written in three languages—Arabic, Hebrew, and English—with collaborations between astronomy, astrophysics, and other disciplines. We aim to foster connections with peers worldwide, including from friendly Arab countries. We hope the observatory will also become a focal point for Isfiya’s youth, who will come to learn, later guide others, and continue growing with us as partners on this journey.”

The observatory has already begun operations with its first group of research students from Daliyat al-Karmel’s middle school, and it is also open to the general public and visitors by appointment.

Designed for academic research in Israel and beyond. One of the two pairs of solar telescopes at the Solaris Observatory | Photo: Space Valley

Building Blocks of Life Discovered on an Asteroid

Researchers analyzing samples from NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission to the asteroid Bennu have identified no fewer than 16,000 types of organic molecules in the sample material, including 14 of the 20 amino acids that make up all proteins in nature, as well as the five nucleobases that form DNA and RNA, the genetic material of all life on Earth. The spacecraft collected the sample in 2021, and in September 2023, it dropped the sealed sample capsule into the Utah desert, where NASA scientists retrieved it for compositional analysis. The findings were published this week in two scientific papers—one in Nature and the other in Nature Astronomy.

The researchers estimate that Bennu is a remnant of a larger body, approximately 100 kilometers long, that formed in the outer regions of the early Solar System. Radioactive materials heated the ice within it, generating liquid saltwater, which facilitated reactions between high concentrations of ammonia and other substances, leading to the formation of more complex molecules. According to the researchers, these findings suggest that many regions of the early Solar System had conditions suitable for the formation of life’s building blocks, increasing the likelihood of discovering actual life elsewhere in the Solar System.

16,000 types of molecules in a 120-gram sample. NASA researchers at the Johnson Space Center collect surface soil samples from the exterior of the capsule before opening it. | Photo: NASA

On the Way to the Moon, Stopping in Italy

The Italian Space Agency is joining the "Beresheet" project—the Israeli lunar mission. On Monday, at the Ramon Conference in Tel Aviv, the Director General of the Israel Space Agency, Uri Oron, and the President of the Italian Space Agency, Teodoro Valente, signed a framework agreement for cooperation on the ambitious mission being developed by SpaceIL. The mission aims to land two spacecraft on the Moon, along with a satellite that will continue orbiting it for an extended period.

Beresheet 2 is the follow-up to Beresheet 1, the first private spacecraft to enter lunar orbit, which crashed during its landing attempt in 2019. The project encountered financial difficulties after major donors withdrew about two years ago, and since then, SpaceIL has been working to secure the missing funding, with the project's total cost estimated at at least $100 million.

The specific details of the agreement have not yet been finalized and are expected to be settled next month in a meeting between SpaceIL representatives and the Italian Space Agency. "We will discuss the system's configuration, what payloads each spacecraft will carry, and how the work will be divided," said Shimon Sarid, CEO of SpaceIL, in an interview with the Davidson Institute website.

Valente told the Davidson Institute website that he could not disclose the project's budget but emphasized, "We have all the money we need." According to the agreement, the Israeli government will need to match Italy's financial contribution to the project. "We have an initial sum, but it is still not enough," said Uri Oron, Director General of the Israel Space Agency. "We are in negotiations with the Ministry of Finance to secure the additional funding. This is a highly significant investment in engineering, assembly, research, and education. Israel has a unique opportunity to leverage international partnerships and achieve outstanding, inspiring accomplishments."

"The Beresheet 2 project will transform Israel from a space nation to a space power," emphasized Shimon Sarid, CEO of SpaceIL. "This mission rivals those of space superpowers, featuring two landings on opposite sides of the Moon—something that has never been done before. It was born from immense inspiration, and we must not give up on it."

Funding must be secured, and final details need to be settled. Director of the Israel Space Agency, Uri Oron (left), signing the agreement with his Italian counterpart, Teodoro Valente | Photo: Itai Nevo

Full Tank, Please

The Japan Science and Technology Agency has selected Astroscale, a company with a development center in Israel, to develop satellite refueling technology in space as part of a broader five-year development project with a total budget of approximately $80 million.

Astroscale, owned by a Japanese corporation, won a Japanese government tender at the end of 2023 to demonstrate space debris removal capabilities. Recently, the company successfully showcased its satellite’s ability to track a large piece of space debris—in this case, an old stage of a Japanese rocket. Using advanced sensing technology and computer vision, the satellite approached the discarded rocket stage, analyzed its orbit, and assessed its condition.

"Space refueling plays a central role in the development of satellite servicing and maintenance. It is expected to provide greater flexibility for space missions, extend the lifespan of malfunctioning satellites, and even enable new missions that require frequent orbital maneuvers—overcoming fuel limitations," said Ophir Azriel, Managing Director of Astroscale Israel.

 
The ability to safely approach a satellite is also key to refueling. Astroscale's space debris identification satellite | Illustration: Astroscale