SpaceIL - Israel's Moon Landing
On February 22, 2019, SpaceIL launched its Beresheet lander into space!
SpaceIL and Israel Aerospace Industries worked together for eight years to turn this dream into a reality. Not only will Israel become the fourth nation, after the USSR, USA, and China to land a spacecraft on the moon,
Israel can expect a $1 million prize from the XPrize Foundation if the spacecraft landing is successful!
Fun Fact
The spacecraft is traveling at a speed of about 10 km/sec (36,000 km/h) on its way to the moon, or 13 times faster than the maximum speed of an F-15 fighter jet.
With Earth in the background, you can see Beresheet holding a plaque with an Israeli flag and the inscription in Hebrew, "Am Israel Hai," or "The Jewish People Lives," and in English, "Small country, big dreams"!
Check out the above video to watch a sunrise in space!
Beresheet is also carrying a small time capsule containing the entire Bible, drawings from Israeli children, Israel's Declaration of Independence, the national anthem "Hatikvah" cultural objects, dictionaries, and encyclopedias - an indication of the knowledge humanity has accumulated so far, Israeli songs and the Wayfarer's Prayer.
Video courtesy of SpaceIL and Israel Aerospace Industries.
