Bereshit 2: Israel’s second moon mission officially launched

Israel’s second moon attempt was officially launched this week as President Reuven Rivlin unveiled Beresheet 2 on Wednesday.

The successor craft, scheduled to launch in four years’ time, will aim to correct the problems of April 2019, when the gyroscopes on the country’s first lander failed, causing the engine to shut down which led to a crash-landing.

Beresheet 2 will comprise one orbiter and two landers and was initiated with the same support infrastructure as last year, including SpaceIL, Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), and Israel’s Ministry of Science and Technology.

Along with scientific missions and international cooperation, the project will be aimed at inspiring young people across the country from all parts of Israeli society.

“Just a year and a half ago, we were here together, when Israel held its breath and looked to the stars,” said Rivlin. “We watched its long journey, in wonder at the researchers and filled with pride at the Israeli daring and ability… We were disappointed, and realised we had to start once again from the beginning.

This week, he said, “we are setting out on a new path, familiar but different, at the end of which we hope to land three spacecraft safely on the moon,” adding: “This project will extend the boundaries of human knowledge with ground-breaking scientific experiments, helping us to understand better the universe in which we live.”

The launch ceremony included the online participation of schoolchildren, students and volunteers from the six space centres around the country, who the president said represented Israel’s next generation of engineers and innovators.