A technology campus featuring a mission control room for space operations, laboratories that simulate conditions on Mars, acceleration programs for startups and international academic research is launching Thursday at Mitzpe Ramon under the leadership of the Israeli company Creation‑Space.
A complete technological ecosystem
Global AI giant NVIDIA will participate in the project as a technology partner and provide professional consultation. Most of the investment — estimated at around 100 million shekels — will be funded by a number of government bodies, including the Innovation Authority under the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Israel Space Agency and the Ministry of Economy, alongside philanthropic and private entities.
The initiative will be inaugurated Thursday in a festive event attended by Science and Technology Minister Gila Gamliel, Economy Minister Nir Barkat, and Mitzpe Ramon Regional Council Head Elia Winter. According to the plan, the campus will include a mission control room for monitoring launches and managing space missions, enabling Israeli and international companies to achieve full monitoring and control at roughly 35% lower cost compared with similar services abroad.
In addition, it will house robotics and simulation laboratories to test technologies and autonomous systems designed for extreme environments in space and on Earth. Next to these facilities, an academic complex and international conference center will be established to host scientists and students from around the world.
Mitzpe Ramon’s unique advantages for space research are already evident: the fact that it is Israel’s most isolated town and its natural surroundings, which resemble extreme environments on the Moon and Mars, make it a “field laboratory” for space projects.
New era in the global space industry
The global space industry has undergone a revolution in recent decades: a field once dominated solely by government agencies is becoming commercial and vibrant. The initiative is being led by Creation‑Space in cooperation with the Mitzpe Ramon Local Council, JNF‑USA, the Mirage Foundation, and the American investment firm CreationsVC. The third cycle of the acceleration program for Israeli space startups is already underway in Mitzpe Ramon.
“Our model in ‘Space City’ is simple — identifying space challenges with huge budgets and building companies with ‘dual‑value’ solutions — those that are already suitable for the terrestrial market while simultaneously being developed for future space missions,” according to Dr. Roy Naor, CEO and co‑founder of Creation‑Space.
“Space City will allow us to provide entrepreneurs with a full infrastructure that significantly shortens the path from an idea to a proven commercial product," he adds. "This is a model that attracts investors, establishes Israel as a key player in the global space economy, and can also create quality jobs in the Negev.”