Space Florida, the state’s aerospace finance and development authority, and the Israel Innovation Authority announced on Tuesday eight companies awarded funding to work jointly in the Space Florida-Israel Innovation Partnership Program.
KBR Wyle Services of Titusville, Fla., and Purammon LTD of Israel will collaborate on new wastewater treatment technologies for crewed spaceflight. Lockheed Martin, based in Merritt Island, Fla., and Israel’s StemRad plan to develop protection for astronauts from radiation.
Boca Raton’s Guident Autonomous Intelligence and Israel’s Novelsat Limited will work on creating an autonomous vehicle communication system utilizing low-latency satellite services.
The fourth award went to SRF Consulting Group in Tallahassee and Israel-based Mobility Insight to create an artificial intelligence-centric traffic management service.
Florida Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nuñez said the program “paved the way for groundbreaking innovations that benefit both Florida and Israel,” adding that the state’s “continued commitment to this partnership ensures that we remain at the forefront of aerospace and technology innovation.”
Naming the companies involved as “the cutting edge of novel technologies,” Dror Bin, CEO of the Israel Innovation Authority, called the collaboration a “beacon of international cooperation in the aerospace sector.”
He said the program provides “a platform that fosters cross-border innovation and technological advancements with a specific focus on the high-impact field of space technology.”
“This initiative not only strengthens the collaboration between Florida and Israel but also drives forward the research, development, and commercialization of groundbreaking aerospace technologies,” said Rob Long, president and CEO of Space Florida. “We look forward to seeing the continued advancements and economic benefits that these projects will bring to both of our regions.”