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Israel will launch a spacecraft on the moon in December and when it reaches its destination, two months later, it will become the fourth country to make a controlled landing. It is also the first privately funded unmanned aircraft for this type of mission
The Israeli Aviation Industry (IAI) and the Israeli non-profit organization SpaceIL today presented At a press conference, the mission, featuring the smallest ship, up here, to cover the 384,000 kilometers that separate the Earth from its satellite.
SpaceIL Spacecraft will leave Cape Canaveral, Florida (USA) and make the trip to the moon in about two months, much more than usual, as it will be launched into an elliptical orbit that will bring it closer and closer. of the satellite, so as not to charge the extra fuel needed for a faster trip.
Yosi Weis, president of IAI, He recalled that NASA judged "satisfactory" the missions on the Moon of six countries, although only three made controlled landings: the Soviets were the first, in February 1966; in June of the same year, the Americans arrived, and in 2013, the Chinese
Read more: The spacecraft captures high resolution images of the Moon
So, if everything goes is going well, "Israel will enter the exclusive club" of nations that have so far made controlled landings on the lunar surface, said Weis.
The Israeli project began eight years ago and SpaceIL has invested some $ 88.5 million. In November, the small ship will be taken to Cape Canaveral, United States, where it will begin preparations to attach it to the Falcon 9 commercial rocket that will take it out of the atmosphere and should reach its goal. Mid-February 2019.
"As soon as the spacecraft reaches the point of landing, it will be completely autonomous," said SpaceIL's director Ido Anteby. "The engine will brake and the plane will descend at zero speed for a smooth landing."
"Then we will place the Israeli flag on the moon," he concluded with a smile.
Once on the lunar floor, the device will carry After the experiments of the Weizman Institute on the measurement of the magnetic field of the Moon, he will take pictures, record videos "and even make a selfi," he says.
An unmanned spaceship that an Israeli team plans to launch in the moon next year (Reuters)
When his mission is over, two days after his arrival, the ship will simply stay on the surface "waiting for new generations to pick it up," Weis said, adding that "the road to the moon is not easy, but that space is the future of humanity ".
There is no name, it is small: one and a half meters high and its diameter, when its feet are extended, is 2 meters.
At the time of his launch he will weigh about 600 kilos, but when he reaches the moon he will have lost 75% of his weight, since he will have spent the fuel.
SpaceIL was one of five finalists for the XPRIZE lunar competition convened by Google in 2007, which would reward with $ 30 million ($ 25.5 million). million euros) to whom sent the first unmanned private plane to the Moon.
Although the contest officially ended without a winner at the end of March this year, after several prolongations, the competition continues, although without the financial endowment
SpaceIL continued its project, financed mainly by millionaire businessman, Morris Khan, who insisted that they "make history". In the same way that "everyone remembers where the day was when [Neil] Armstrong set foot on the moon, we will always remember where we were when Israel reached the moon."
Read more: 48-year-old man walked on the moon for the first time
With information from EFE
HVI
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