BGU’s Dr. Maman First Female Chair of Israel Space Agency
BGU’s Dr. Maman First Female Chair of Israel Space Agency
August 5, 2025
Dr. Shimrit Maman has been newly appointed as the first female chair of the Israel Space Agency.
The Jerusalem Post—The Israel Space Agency will be helmed by a woman for the first time in its history, as Dr. Shimrit Maman, a senior scientist at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) and a prominent space researcher in the Department of Environmental, Geoinformatics and Urban Planning Sciences, has now been tapped to chair the organization’s steering committee.
Maman will replace her predecessor, Dr. Dan Blumberg, also a professor in BGU’s Department of Environmental, Geoinformatics and Urban Planning Sciences and Vice President for Regional and Industrial Development at BGU, for a three-year term.
In this capacity, she will take the reins of directing the space policy of the Jewish state. This includes developing new programs and initiatives as well as fostering collaborations with other space agencies around the world.
The appointment comes as Israel is becoming more focused on space technology than ever before, with many of the Jewish state’s recent military accomplishments only being possible due to its technology in space. Israel is still coming off the heels of the successful launch of the Dror-1 satellite, which promises a much more reliable and hack-resistant means of communication.
It also comes following the use of Israel’s satellite network in widescale space-based intelligence gathering, capturing tens of millions of square kilometers through day-night surveillance, producing over 12,000 satellite images of Iranian territory prior to and during Operation Rising Lion.
A leader in Israel’s space sector
Dr. Maman has led the Israel regional office of the United Nations Platform for Space-based Information for Disaster Management and Emergency Response and served as Israel’s representative on the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS).
But most notable is her trailblazing role in fighting for women to be involved in space. This includes her leadership of SheSpace, an internationally lauded initiative to inspire and advocate for women attempting to enter the space sector, powered by BGU.
Dr. Maman noted to the Jerusalem Post, “I am excited for the chance to lead the Israel Space Agency and shape, alongside partners in Israel and around the world, the next generation of Israeli space operations.”
Read more on The Jerusalem Post>
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