Israel has for the first time sent a space probe to the moon. From Cape Canaveral a rocket has launched with the probe on Board. For seven weeks she is now on the way and should land in April on the moon.

The US space station Cape Canaveral in Florida has started a rocket with the first Israeli moon probe. There is a Falcon-9 rocket, the space travel company SpaceX, launched on time at 02.45 p.m. CET.

Well, a Minute after the Start, had reached the rocket is already travelling at supersonic speed, and shot as a bright strip through the night sky. The space command of the U.S. air force congratulated on Twitter to a successful Start.

The Falcon 9 rocket to the space company SpaceX, lifted off on time with the Israeli spacecraft.

Seven weeks

a Good 30 minutes after the Start, was disconnected the spacecraft from the rocket and into the orbit of the earth. On Board the rocket, an Indonesian satellite called “Nusantara Satu”, as well as a satellite for experimental purposes in the U.S. air force. The small probe “Beresheet” is now seven weeks on the road, the moon landing, is on 11. April expected.

cost: $ 100 million

“Beresheet” is a private project and is driven by the organization SpaceIL. “Beresheet” is not only the first Israeli probe, but the first private space vehicle ever to land on the moon. The Mission will cost around 100 million dollars. The probe has a scientific device for the measurement of the magnetic field of the moon; the main objective of the Mission is the landing on the moon is as such.

about as big as a refrigerator: Israel’s space probe “Beresheet” is on the way to the moon.

a symbol for Israel

A moon landing is so far only the US, Russia and China. The project has therefore a strong symbolic value for Israel. A capsule on Board the probe contains CDs with children’s pictures, Israeli symbols, memories of a Holocaust Survivor and a Bible.

The project had begun with the announcement of the 30 million Dollar Google Lunar XPrize in 2010. The price should encourage researchers to develop cost-effective missions to the moon. Until the expiry of the award period specified in the last March, a lunar landing succeeded, although any of the candidates, but the Israeli researchers continued their work.

the Start of a space probe: Israel 21.02.2019 First landing of a probe is aiming to the moon, to moon-back a success, 03.01.2019 Atlas |USA |Cape Canaveral

From the archive