How to get to the Moon?

August 2019, 3 AM. I'm lying in bed, exactly 12 hours after being discharged from six years of service. I have just finished my role as a company commander in an operational training program, following several field positions in the 98th Division. And now? I’m asking myself what I’m going to do with my life. Three years in the military, and now in civilian life, I feel like a nobody - do you know that feeling?

My friends have already finished their South America trips, are heading toward their second degrees, and have gained a few years of work experience. And me? I can’t fall asleep. What will I do with my life? What’s my next goal? How do you live an extraordinary life? I search for strong enough motivation to get the wheels turning. Muscle memory kicks in - I define a goal, build a plan, and hope the motivation follows.

The goal? I decided to contribute to the betterment of humanity - as much as I can, at least. Without a degree (and at the time, with little regard for academia), I started working in a logistics role at Israel Aerospace Industries. Through field experiments, I saw what it meant to be an engineer and invent things that protect Israel’s citizens, and I connected with that deeply. Motivation - check. Later, I decided to study electrical engineering, attending evening classes so I could stay close to the industry and support myself at the same time. It wasn’t easy, but it was worth every sacrifice along the way.

We talked about extraordinary lives - so what’s the craziest thing you can do with an engineering degree? Fly to space, of course. I decided I wanted to go to space and, through that, promote space exploration and push the boundaries of humanity - just like the pioneers who set sail to explore new continents centuries ago. Damn, where do you even start? What does Israel have to do with space? Don’t you need to be a pilot or something? Well, it turns out - you don’t. Alongside my studies, my full-time job, and my frequent reserve duty, I started volunteering with the Ramon Foundation as a space educator at a high school in Sderot. At least two hours a week to begin immersing myself in this world.

I realized how much my military service had given me! The high standards set for me as a C4I officer continue to guide me every single day. Four and a half years after that sleepless night, I was accepted into a master’s program in Aeronautics and Space Engineering at the International Space University in France. I’ll be starting in September 2025. Even though I’m still at the beginning of my career, I wouldn’t have reached where I am today without the confidence and skills my service as a C4I officer gave me.

So, what am I trying to say? Dream big. Focus on making a positive impact on people’s lives. From one C4I officer to another - it’s nothing we can’t handle!

Much love ,Assaf Shaked.