By Jeffrey Manber – I’m really delighted that The Fisher Institute of Israel is onboard the NanoRacks’ STS 134 mission. The formal name of our new customer is the Fisher Institute for Strategic Air and Space Studies, and this respected organization is a world-leader in both aerospace and space research, with particular focus on bio-medicine and bio-pharmaceutical research. Download the full press release here.
Like with all organizations, the important link is with the people involved, and over the past year I have gotten to know Dr. Eran Schenker, who as the head of their Aerospace Research Medicine Center is a veteran of multiple research projects on previous shuttle flights. Part researcher, part dreamer, part businessmen, Eran is a whirlwind of energy who believes that research in the unique environment of space will play a greater role in bringing critical products to the marketplace. I’ve really enjoyed getting to know Eran and thinking through with him what steps we can take in the next year to really bring about the routine use of low-earth orbit for commercial research.
But above all else, the idea that NanoRacks is facilitating the continuation of the research that was conducted by the Israeli astronaut Col. Ilan Ramon, who was part of Columbia STS 107-mission makes our agreement even more meaningful.
Events are really heating up for us on STS-134. This time period is one of the key reasons we were all motivated to launch NanoRacks–after months of negotiations, discussions, payload development, safety inspections, integrations, now all our customers are coming together to share in the launch and to meet one another. Will say more on everyone involved in the next few blogs but wanted to begin by briefly introducing you to our new friends from Israel.