What's Your Number? Building the Space Highway - with Hila Haddad
Nov 5, 2025
Hila Haddad, an aerospace engineer and former director at Israel's Ministry of Innovation, shares her insights on the country's space program. She discusses the strengths and weaknesses of Israel's civil space sector and how private innovation is reshaping the landscape. Hila highlights the importance of space for national security and explains Israel's simulation-driven approach that made the Iron Dome a success. They also touch on the challenges women face in space tech and the need for a comprehensive space supply chain.
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Private Sector Drives Space Growth
- The private space economy now drives most growth, shifting value away from traditional government-led programs.
- Hila Haddad argues Israel risks missing civil-space opportunities despite rare national launch capabilities.
Israel's Early Satellite Legacy
- Israel was among the first dozen countries to independently launch satellites and maintains long-lasting satellite hardware.
- Haddad notes Israel's historical launch capability coexists with underinvestment in civilian space ventures.
Scarcity-Born Systems Engineering
- Israel's core strength is building complex systems under scarcity using simulations and validation instead of large physical tests.
- Haddad says this methodology enabled Iron Dome's low-budget rapid development and is exportable to civil space tech.