A private Israeli company plans to open an investigation into the moon in February

Humanity Explores the Moon since the 1960s. Manned missions, orbital probes and exploration robots are part of this journey, but so far only state space agencies governed by their respective governments had this opportunity. But the private initiative is about to reach the Moon and the Israeli company SpaceIL could be the first to achieve this goal.

The company is currently working on the mission Beresheet, the first private mission to win a Moon – which should take place in February 2019. This machine can also be propelled to the ground by "jumping" with its rocket engine.

The company, created in 2011, was part of the Google Lunar XPrize contest, a program by the giant that planned to award 30 million US dollars to the first team financed exclusively by private funds. who could build a spaceship and land successfully on our natural satellite. The rules also required the vehicle to travel at least 500 meters on the moon and transmit high definition images of its landing environment. SpaceIL did not give up on this idea and, even without the Google price, it continued to develop and build its spacecraft, all with private funds.

The Israeli ship will be equipped with field measurement instruments. a laser reflector provided by NASA and a "time capsule" containing cultural and historical artefacts from Israel. The space shuttle will be launched by a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket alongside another cargo that Elon Musk will transport in space (a geostationary communication satellite). Beresheet will then follow the satellite to move in orbit around the Earth, pursuing the journey alone.

Once on the surface of the Moon, the probe should only last a few days because it has not been projected. to work in the long term, as is the case for NASA rovers who have been on Mars for several years. Nevertheless, the Israeli probe will present a commercial model for a 100% mission financed by private funds that can land in another world of the solar system. Thus, the technical knowledge of the teams, the scientific and technical data obtained by using spacecraft instruments and the learning of how space missions can be performed outside government programs will bring valuable information to the space industry, prompting other companies to invest in their own programs. in the near future.

Source: Phys.org