In 1981 my parents decided to immigrate to Israel and that is where I grew up.

When at the age of 11 after having a stiff neck again, I realized I stopped to look up to every sound of an airplane in the sky; it was time to take action!

I spent the years 12-18 mostly at my local aeromodelling club (Raanana), building and flying model gliders and at the age of 13 I passed the Israel aero club instructors course at the Aeronautic faculty of the Technion and spent the next five years teaching youths in aeromodelling and aerodynamic basics. During this hobby I competed in many competitions and participated in many activities.

At the age of 18 I joined the army for my three year service like every 18 year old in Israel and served in the Air force.

After the army I worked for 2 years as a composite materials manufacturer building radoms, unmanned aerial vehicles, and other composite parts.

In the years 1999-2004 I studied Mechanical Engineering at the Technion and worked at many things during this time to pay for the student life expenses.

I taught an academic course of basic aerodynamics and aeromodelling in the Aeronautical faculty and spent all the duration of my degree working as a research assistant on composite helicopter blades.

My most proud achievement then (2000-2003) was being appointed Club manager at my local aeromodelling club, which had over 100 youths of ages 11-18. The job was to manage the club and make class curriculums from simple models in the first year all the way to international level free flight model gliders.

After university I returned to my UAV company and worked there as a composite UAV Engineer.

After finding a young replacement at the club I wanted to help the aeromodelling hobby in the whole country and not only my home town.

I was voted chairman of the Audit committee of the Israel aero club and the year after was voted to be on the management committee.

Due to my leaving to France for a year to study I was voted to be the Israeli aero modeling of the Israeli aero club, representative to the FAI (Federation Aeronautic International).

My interested in the last five years or so has shifted to the space part of the word “Aerospace” at first as an interest and then (after the Columbia accident) as a career desire.

I was deeply honored to receive a scholarship for ISU in the name of Ilan Ramon and have felt this year that I am representing Israel and Ilan’s heritage of Israel in Space.

I will continue this conduct through my internship at NASA Goddard Space Center to my Masters 06 graduation on the first of September 2006.

The last week in Strasbourg was a memorable week I will cherish for life.

It was also a very emotional one meeting friends for the last time before going back to different corners of the globe, however a family we are, and keep on being in touch with each other.

On my return I have started to work in the space division of Israel Aerospace Industries as a structure engineer on the Amos satellites.

I am also a part of a group working on a small cube-sat which will hopefully be launched by the end of 2008.

There is no doubt that my knowledge from ISU has opened doors for me in the space sector and was an amazing experience.

My space career has started, this is just the beginning, Ilan Ramon's legacy must be continued and there must be a second Israeli astronaut in the future space exploration programs of the different nations.

I have an idea who that may be…but I guess you have the same dream..