SpaceIL Announces Its Search for Proposals for Israel’s Second Moon Mission

A non-profit organization, based in the State of Israel, recently called for proposals from organizations across the globe to receive ideas for its upcoming scientific experiments. It announced that these experiments could become a vital component of Beresheet 2, which is the second mission that the country is going to be taking to the moon. The relevant authorities have decided that the mission will be launched into space by the end of the year 2024.

The first lunar mission undertaken by the company was around two years ago, which resulted in a crash landing on the surface of the moon. The main engine had failed while at a distance of several kilometers from where it was supposed to land. This was because the spacecraft had been unable to break in time. 

The call for proposals was specifically addressed to various research institutes, universities, as well as space-related industries across the globe. The deadline set for ideas is the 15th of November, as informed by SpaceIL last week. 

In the details provided with respect to the proposed submissions, they should be focused on a bunch of research areas, which include lunar soil, astrobiology, lunar environmental conditions, along with the production of water and food. 

The second moon mission was announced last in the previous year and is going to launch three spacecraft. The co-founder of the Israeli non-profit, Kfir Damari, revealed that Beresheet 2 had been designed as an orbiting spacecraft, attached to two spacecraft. These will be released in two different places for exploration missions, as they land on either side of the moon. The orbiter will then carry out a mission for two to five years around the moon, which will be deemed as a platform for educational and scientific activities. 

As per the co-founder, Beresheet 2 has been designed to make space history, by undertaking the first mission with a pre-planned double landing. He informed that the landing will be on the far side of the moon, which is a mission only China has successfully completed to date. According to him, the landers themselves will be the smallest to have ever been launched in space. Each will weigh 60 kg without fuel and 120 kg with fuel. 

In addition, the orbiting spacecraft will be launched for a time period of five years through a remote connection. This will allow students across the globe to participate in scientific research and learn from it. 

Funds have consequently been allocated to the project, as they were in the past. Just earlier in the summer, SpaceIL revealed that it had successfully obtained funding of $70 million from a handful of philanthropists and entrepreneurs, including Morris Kahn of Kahn Foundation, Moshal Space Foundation, Entrée Capital, and Patrick and Lina Drahi Foundation. 

The non-profit organization hopes to inspire the upcoming generation of engineers, dreamers, and scientists, as stated by the company. It strives to ensure the advancement of space by undertaking various innovative missions into it.