Tal Inbar is an independent consultant and researcher in various field of space policy, emerging technologies, and strategic planning. He studied Political Science (bachelor’s degree) and Security Studies (master’s degree), both in Tel Aviv University, Israel. He started working at the Fisher Institute for Air and Space Strategic Studies in 2003 and became the director of the institute’s space and UAV research canter in 2007 until the closing of the institute in 2019. He co-founded the Ilan Ramon International Space Conference in 2006 and is a leading member of the academic committee of this world-renowned event ever since.
Mr. Inbar follows the space and missile programs of Israel for more than 30 years and has written numerous articles and op-eds in national and international media. He is a frequent speaker at international conferences, workshops, and seminars.
Mr. Inbar contributed to the Space Competitiveness Index (Futron product) and several other classified reports delivered to governmental and industry customers. He is a visiting speaker on various think-tanks and research institutes including RAND, the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance, Secure World Foundation – to name a few. On May 2021 Inbar joined the Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance (based in Washington, DC) as a senior research fellow.
- He is a consultant to Israeli defense and space companies, including IAI, ELBIT and RAFAEL. At IAI, he developed special curricula to various Space and Missile courses addressed to engineers and personally teaches them since 2017. The courses are acknowledged and approved by the Ministry of Education and by the Israel Chamber of Engineers.
- Inbar is consultant to a variety of projects for the Israeli Space Agency and he work in very close relationship with all the agency’s directors since 2003.
- Also on governmental level, Inbar prepared several research papers for Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs, at the request of the head of strategic division of the ministry.
Inbar is a member of the History Committee of the International Academy of Astronautics and wrote dozens of papers that were presented at the International Astronautical Congresses, since 2002. He was part of the local organizing committee (LOC) for the 2015 IAC that was held in Jerusalem, Israel.
- From 2022 Inbar is a consultant to Starburst Israel – a global aviation and space accelerator – who also operates ASTRA, space tech focused accelerator program. In this capacity he works with both Starburst Israel and ASTRA directors. Inbar also is a keynote speaker at space innovation workshop organized jointly by Starburst, ASTRA, Israel Space Agency, and the Ramon foundation.
- From the first edition of International Space University (ISU) Executive Space Course Israel (2021) Inbar is a prominent faculty staff of the courses, which provides an overview of space and space-related subjects including administration, finance, law, business, and management for professionals of diverse backgrounds.
- Inbar was the co-founder of the (world known) Ilan Ramon International Space Conference, THE most important space conference in Israel. Since the first conference held in 2006, he is a member of the academic and program committee, together with the Israel Space Agency staff.
- In 2022, again with the Israel Space Agency, Inbar ushered yet another space related conference: the “Space Forum” – to honor the name of Aby Har Even, who was the director of the Israel Space Agency for 10 years and was killed on a terrorist action in 2021.
- Ad hock events at the Weizmann institute of Science, Reichman University and the Israel Astronomical Association, and the Israel Air Force.
- Inbar delivered several congressional briefings on ballistic missile programs of Iran and North Korea to members of the US Senate and Congress.
- Inbar is also a speaker at various HCoC (Hague Code of Conduct) conferences and presented his findings at a UNIDIR conferences in Geneva and the HCoC meetings in Vienna.
- Occasional appearances in the European Parliament (Brussels) on hearings;
- University of Bonn – workshop on space middle-powers (2024) – an academic activity leading to a joint German-Israel initiative with ESPI (European Space Policy Institute) on various international cooperation in space. A follow-on activity which is ongoing is a joint German/Israel book to by published soon.
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Inbar was a member of the Museums and space societies committee of the International Astronautical Federation.
He was the curator and scientific advisor to almost every space exhibition held in Israel, Including:
- The Russian Space Exhibition (Tel Aviv, 1992). This exhibition was the second time in the post-Soviet time that a huge exhibition from Russia was presented on another country. More than 250000 people attended the exhibition, which Inbar curated, and was responsible to the guides, exhibition catalog etc.
- Special ad-hock space exhibition in Jerusalem science museum, on astronaut Dr. Jeff Hoffman visit to Israel;
- From 1991 to 2005 as part of the Youth Activities Section of the Weizmann Institute of Science, I was instructor on the “Garden of Science”, gave 100’s of Planetarium activities per year and was responsible to the space activities of the Science mobile van of the Institute, addressing ~10K of students per year.
- “Space Mania” (Tel Aviv, 2013) – the largest space exhibition in Israel to-date.
- Special exhibition at the National Science, technology and space museum in Haifa (2016), in which a real space capsule was brought to Israel (the Excalibur-Almaz)
- Space exploration exhibition at the Science Park of Beersheba, served as scientific and creative adviser (Opens in 2023)
- Several more exhibitions are now under development.
- Inbar was responsible for the development, implementation and teaching of Israel’s first space studies for grades 10-12, which was the first of its kind in Israel that got official recognition by the Ministry of Education to be part of the matriculation exams. (2008)
- Inbar led the joint Israel Space Agency and D-MARS team for creation a special curriculum to support the AMADEE 20 program (2021) with cooperation of the Austrian Space Forum (ÖSTERREICHISCHES WELTRAUM FORUM).
- For 15 years lead the astronomy and Rocketry programs at the Youth Activities Center of the Weizmann Institute of Science.
As part of his pro-bono activities, Inbar is devoting time and experience to various institutions and individuals. SOME examples:
- National Coordinator of the World Space week in Israel for years since 2003.
- Member of the History Committee of the International Academy of Astronautics
- Member of the board of D-Mars, Israel’s Mars simulations center, in that capacity led many space education activities for the Israel Space Agency.
- Mentor to all regional chapters of “Horizon“, the Israel Space Agency community of space educators (founded by of the Israel Space Agency). Gave numerous in-person and online lectures, participation in hackathons etc.
- Advisor to the Heinlein Foundation (US) and the Excalibur Almaz
- Numerous appearances before various crowds – Students, Teachers and the public on special occasions as a lecturer – with some online activities (especially during COVID-19 time and the first stage of the recent war in Israel).
- Former secretary of the Israel Astronomical Society.
- Frequent speaker at Israel Air Force Space Engineering course
- Wrote monthly space related articles for “Galileo”, the science monthly (for 10 years) and for the annual space Issue of the “Young Galileo”, address to young age readers.
