"A day of great national joy and pride. It's not every day that we announce an Israeli astronaut is going to space. Eytan Stibbe will fly with the blue and white flag his uniform, reminding us that the sky is no longer the limit!" the Israeli president said on Twitter.
According to the announcement made by Rivlin in the presidential palace, Stibbe will depart in the year-end and spend 200 hours at the ISS, during which he will conduct a series of experiments with the use of Israeli technology.
The Israeli astronaut is soon to begin preparing for the mission. Three months before the scheduled flight, he will undergo intensive training in the United States, Germany and Russia.
The space shuttle will take Stibbe to the ISS from the southeastern US state of Florida.
