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[SatNews] NASA encouraged a meeting of minds between the U.S. and Israel Science and Technology Foundation’s (USISTF)

The U.S.-Israel Science and Technology Foundation’s (USISTF) a Washington-based non-profit organization that facilitates mutually beneficial business collaboration between the U.S. and Israel for the advancement of science and technology, today announced a proposed action plan to establish a joint U.S.-Israel Commercial Space Research and Development Incubator (CSDRI) in the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) following the end of the Space Shuttle Program.

The goal of the CSDRI would be to facilitate R&D partnerships leading to commercial development by providing technical and engineering lab space and management consulting to participating companies and organizations. The incubator will assist new ventures to get off to a successful start by providing them basic business support, and to eventually hand-off their newly developed technologies to a license or patent.

“Both U.S. and Israeli space policy is committed to deepening ties between the commercial sectors of both counties to realize the benefits of industrial exchange and international cooperation,” said Ann Liebschutz, executive director of USISTF. “The Incubator would capitalize on this commitment by creating a hub for innovation and international trade that leverages the best minds and technologies from both nations.”

Some of the proposed activities include micro and nano satellite development, launch and operations. USISTF responded to the KSC’s Request For Information (RFI) USISTF hosted a U.S.-Israel Commercial Space Roundtable on February 1, 2011 in Tel Aviv, Israel.

For more information about USISTF and the organization’s response to KSC’s RFI please visit.