Seeking information on israel's space program.

[quasarrgames]

Hello!

So, i've been invited to participate in a Model Untied Nation conference at a local university. To my good fortune, i shall be representing Israel in the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs. The topics are the Environment and Space Activity, the Militarisation of Space and International Law, and Space Commercialisation.

I am currently doing research into Israel's role in this committee. However, i also realised that there's a whole world of space enthusiasts here. So, if anyone knows anything about Israel's space program, or any of the policies it has implemented regarding space travel, it would be a big help to me if you could post here. So far, i know that Israel has sent 12 satellites into space, has signed and ratified the Outer Space Treaty but not the Moon Treaty, and that an Israeli-designed communications satellite was destroyed in the recent Falcon 9 Explosion.

As well, although i have been to many Model UN conferences in the past, i have never really excelled in them. So if anyone has been to any past Model UN conferences, and has any good experience with them, any advice on how to make deals quickly and win people over would also be really appreciated.

I understand that this is a bit... political, but i'm hoping you guys can be sensible and honourable enough not to turn this into a flame war.

That is all. Have a good day

[tater]

http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=4724.0

Here's the NSF forum section. You might peruse through here as well:

http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?board=10.0

 

 

[Cydonian Monk]

I know precious little about the Israeli space program, but I've always found it fascinating that anyone EVER allowed them to launch seven+ satellites into a retrograde orbit. It makes sense why they'd do it, but the opportunity for a collision at twice orbital velocity seems.... risky. Somebody burned some serious political capital to get those launches approved.

[Dman979]

On the topic of retrograde orbits, their launch system is an all-SRB design.

They have to launch retrograde, because politics, just like Russia has to launch slightly north from Baikonor, so they don't spook China, and India has to do a dogleg when they fly south, so they don't fly over Sri Lanka.

On the topic of making deals-

I went to a thing called Boys State. It was a model state government, and I was a state senator. We had to pass laws, etc, to make the state run.

You will feel slimy after most of the deals you make. That's normal, and that's OK. This may even involve voting for things you find morally reprehensible. Just keep in mind that it's a small bad for a lot of good- don't be an idealist. Keep your cards close to your chest, and don't confuse friends with allies. And don't confuse allies with people who have similar interests. Don't make people hate you quickly. Be nice, and make lots of friends, at least early on. Take people for dinner, or something like that. Get them to like you. When you're proposing a deal, don't make your first offer your final offer. On that note, be willing to walk away from something.

And remember- no nation has friends, only interests.

[Dman979]

Oh, I have one more thing- pick your battles. Prioritize your agenda in terms of what's most important, and be ready to compromise or even give up on the less important ones in order to make sure the most important things pass.

[LordFerret]

17 hours ago, Dman979 said:

They have to launch retrograde, because politics, just like Russia has to launch slightly north from Baikonor, so they don't spook China, and India has to do a dogleg when they fly south, so they don't fly over Sri Lanka.

So... launching straight up and then initiating an orbit burn at 70km really IS a thing? lol

[Dman979]

On 11/4/2016 at 10:21 AM, LordFerret said:

So... launching straight up and then initiating an orbit burn at 70km really IS a thing? lol

No... they go retrograde. Standard orbital insertion, AFAIK- just backwards.

And @quasarrgames, how did it go?