The Israeli Space Division and an Israeli nonprofit aerospace organization announced Tuesday that a mission to the Moon will be launched in December. If successful, the country would become the fourth nation to land on the moon and the first to use a small spaceship.

At a press conference in Yehud, Israel, the Israel Aerospace Industries Space division and the non-profit organization SpaceIL relayed their plans to launch an unmanned lunar spacecraft , weighing 1.322 pounds relatively light, at Cape Canaveral, Florida in December. After a two-day trip, the spacecraft is expected to land on the moon on February 13, 2019, to plant an Israeli flag and collect scientific data for two months.

"After eight difficult years, I am filled with pride that the first Israeli spacecraft, which is in its final phase of construction and testing, will soon make its way to the moon," said the billionaire African and SpaceIL President Morris Kahn, in a statement. "The launch of the first Israeli spacecraft will fill Israel, in its 70th year, with pride."

The launch of the moon is the result of SpaceIL's participation in Google's Lunar XC contest . Israel joined the competition to join the ranks of the United States, Russia and China to reach the moon. could however meet this deadline and the competition ended in March without a winner.

SpaceIL was created in 2011 by three engineers, Yariv Bash, Kfir Damari and Yonatan Winetraub, in partnership with Israel Aeronautics Industries. The group continued its work after the end of the competition in the hope of "achieving the dream of reaching the moon," according to SpaceIL.

It is expected that the small spaceship will lock on a rocket from SpaceX company Elon Musk from the launch point of Florida in December. He will then disconnect from the Falcon more than 37,000 miles above the Earth to enter an orbit, expand and be captured by the gravity of the moon.

The organization operates through private donations to support its $ 95 million project, with $ 88 million needed for the construction of the spacecraft. Kahn, president of SpaceIL, donated $ 27 million. Israel hopes that this space mission will trigger an "Apollo effect", prompting Israelis to explore the perspective of space and capture the spirit of children in the hope of inspiring them to study science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

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