Name Surname: Prof. Haim Eshed (Ashkenazı)
Date and place of Birth: 1933, Turkey
Date of Aliya: 1934
Education: Ph. D. in Aeronautical Engineering
Schools attended: Eshed's early education was at Max Fein School in Tel Aviv.
He received his B.S. in Electronical Engineering from the Technion, his M.S. in Operations Research and finally his Ph. D. in Aeronautical Engineering
Profession: Israel Space Program Director and Technion Professor
CV: Eshed made his aliya from Turkey together with his parents when he was one-year old. The family settled in South Tel Aviv.
In 1965 he was chosen to the technology unit of the Intelligence Service for his military duty. In the same year he received his first Israel award for his contribution to Israel’s security with his innovative development which cannot be disclosed to this day. In 1967 he received the Chief of Staff’s merit award. During his life he received three “Israel Awards”.
In 1969 Eshed was sent to the USA for his doctorate by the Military Intelligence Service. Upon his return with his Ph. D. in Aeronautical Engineering, he was assigned to head the R&D department in the Intelligence Service. Upon his retirement from the Military, he taught at the Space Research Institute of the Technion as a professor.
In 1981 he founded and chaired the “Etgar Project” to research and develop infrastructure for satellites as a Defense Ministry unit.
Prof. Eshed is the founder of Israel’s “Space Program” which, at its initial phase, was targeted to the defense needs of the state. The trigger for the project that started in 1978 was Israel’s Peace Agreement with Egypt which necessitated contol of the Sinai area from space. In addition to the technological barriers, the process of receiving approval from the government was a long and painful one and Prof. Eshel deserves most of the credit for this achievement. Within six years the infrastructure had been built successfully. Starting from 1995, the Institute and Prof. Eshed were involved in civilian space projects as well.
Prof. Eshed chaired the space program for more than 30 years before his retirement. He has continued to work as consultant and teacher for students of different ages and communities all over the country.
In 2018, as a tribute to the 70th anniversary of the foundation of the State of Israel, 70 satellites were launched to space by different schools. The project was headed by Prof. Eshed.
Works, publications: (co- author of)
Satellites and the Near Space, 2014
Management of Projects involving technological innovations, 2018
Satellites and the new Space, 2019
Institutions established, supported:
“Etgar Project”, Israel Space Program
Outstanding and Permanent contribution /reasons for nomination:
Israel with its tiny land and population needs a qualitative edge to defend itself. Prof. Eshed with his outstanding contribution to the superiority of the State of Israel in space and air defense systems is one of the persons who have made this achievement come true.
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