Israel fails in bid to be fourth nation to land spacecraft on Moon as its Beresheet (a biblical reference that means “in the beginning” ) spacecraft crashes on lunar surface.The aim of the mission was to take pictures and conduct experiments.

The $100 million spacecraft, built by SpaceIL and Israel Aerospace Industries,did successfully took a selfie before suffering technical problems (engine turned off) on its on the way down to the moon surface.

Only government space agencies from the former Soviet Union, the United States and China have achieved successful moon landings.

Nevertheless, Israel is the seventh nation to reach the moon. Israeli President Reuven Rivlin said “We are disappointed,” adding that to land a spacecraft on the moon requires huge resources.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who was watching the landing mission from the control room, stressed that Israel would try again and succeed in two or three years.

Share on:  Whatsapp  Twitter  Facebook