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YEHUD, Israel – An Israeli organization announced Tuesday its intention to launch the country's first spacecraft on the moon in December, in hopes of improving Israel's reputation as a small nation with high-tech ambitions from another world. as a pod and weighing some 585 kilograms (1300 pounds) at launch, will land on the moon on February 13, 2019, if all goes as planned, SpaceIL organizers told reporters.
It will be launched by an American rocket The SpaceX firm of entrepreneur Elon Musk and his mission will include research on the magnetic field of the moon.
His first task, however, will be to plant an Israeli flag on the moon, according to the organizers.
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The project started as part of the Google Lunar XPrize which offered prizes of $ 30 million ($ 25 million) 39; euros) to encourage scientists and entrepreneurs to find economic solutions.
An Israeli team later known as SpaceIL decided to join the fray and eventually badociated with Israel Aerospace Industries.
The Google price expired in March without a winner having reached the moon, but the Israeli team's private initiative is expected to cost around $ 95 million, largely supported by Israeli billionaire Morris Kahn
"This will show the way to the rest of the world" to send a spacecraft to moon at a reasonable cost, said Ofer Doron of the IAI.
AFP
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