Beresheet 2

Last updated

Beresheet 2
Website www.spaceil.com
Spacecraft properties
SpacecraftBeresheet 2
Spacecraft type Lunar landers and orbiter
Manufacturer SpaceIL
Firefly Aerospace (lander)
Start of mission
Launch dateMission suspended. Launch was planned for 2025 [1]
←  Beresheet

Beresheet 2 is a proposed private space mission intended to land two spacecraft on the Moon. Upon reaching the Moon, the spacecraft would split into three: an orbiter and two landers that would be released for landing at different locations on the Moon. The orbiter would continue to orbit the Moon on a long-term multi-year mission. This would be the first-ever dual-lander deployment mission, with the smallest landers to ever soft-land on the Moon. [1] It would have a budget of US$100 million, similar to that of Beresheet , and would include more international collaboration, with the United Arab Emirates and Italy among countries expressing interest. [2] [3] The project was planned to include a substantial component of educational activities and an outreach program for the public in the partnering countries. As of 2025, the mission was suspended due to lack of funding. [4]

History

Reuven Rivlin hosting the launch event of the Beresheet 2 project, December 2020 Reuven Rivlin hosting the launch event of the <<Beresheet 2>> project, December 2020 (GPOHA1 5819).jpg
Reuven Rivlin hosting the launch event of the Beresheet 2 project, December 2020

The mission was announced by the SpaceIL voluntary association, shortly after the conclusion of the first Beresheet mission in April 2019. [5] It was announced on 26 June 2019, that the mission will not target the Moon, and instead it will be to another undisclosed object. [6] [7] On 25 November 2019, it was simultaneously announced that the Moon would indeed be the target of Beresheet 2, and that SpaceIL plans to send another lander to Mars. [8] [9]

On 16 January 2020, SpaceIL announced that they have officially started to work on Beresheet 2, as they were given the first million-dollar funding for the spacecraft. On 5 February 2020, Shimon Sarid was appointed as CEO of SpaceIL. In this role, Sarid would lead the Beresheet 2 project. [10] In July 2020, engineer Yoav Heichal, former chief engineer of Better Place Ltd, has joined the program as a structural engineer. The program was officially launched by Israel's former president, Reuven Rivlin, on 9 December 2020 and announced that the Beresheet 2 Moon mission would launch in 2024, consisting of an orbiter and two landers. [11] SpacelL was leading the program with the support of the Israel Space Agency. [12]

In July 2021, the Beresheet2 program raised 70 million dollars from a group of donors: the Patrick & Lina Drahi family foundation, Morris Kahn, and the Moshal Space Foundation. [13] At World Space Week in Dubai in October 2021, Israel and the UAE ministers of science and technology announced plans for cooperation on the mission. [14] In January 2025, Israel Space Agency and Italian Space Agency signed a memorandum of understanding for collaboration on the mission, but any joint budget for the mission had not been decided. [3]

In April 2025, SpaceIL has suspended the work on the Beresheet 2 Moon mission after failing to secure funding. [4] [15]

References

  1. 1 2 "Ramon.Space and Lulav Space Partner to Navigate Space IL's Next Two Lunar Landings". Ramon.Space (Press release). 7 September 2022. Retrieved 12 September 2022.
  2. ↑ "Israel launches second bid to put a lander on the moon; UAE may join". The Times of Israel. 9 December 2020. Retrieved 10 December 2020.
  3. 1 2 "SpaceIL, Italian Space Agency to cooperate on Beresheet 2 | The Jerusalem Post". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. 28 January 2025. Retrieved 9 July 2025.
  4. 1 2 "SpaceIL Suspends Beresheet 2 Lunar Mission Project". Davidson Institute of Science Education. 5 April 2025. Retrieved 9 July 2025.
  5. ↑ Gough, Evan (16 April 2019). "Despite the Crash, SpaceIL is Going Back to the Moon with Beresheet 2". Universe Today.
  6. ↑ SpaceIL: Beresheet won't attempt moon landing, will seek another challenge Eytan Halon and Hagay Hacohen, The Jerusalem Post 26 June 2019
  7. ↑ Israeli team will no longer send a second spacecraft to the Moon Natt Garun The Verge 26 June 2019
  8. ↑ Keyser, Zachary (28 November 2019). "SpaceIL heading back to space, mission to Mars on the horizon". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 13 December 2019.
  9. ↑ Jerenberg, Batya (25 November 2019). "SpaceIL reveals new moon mission set for 2022, with Mars attempt in works". World Israel News. Retrieved 13 December 2019.
  10. ↑ SpaceIL announces new CEO Shimon Sarid to lead Beresheet 2 project Zachary Keyser, The Jerusalem Post 5 February 2020
  11. ↑ Howell, Elizabeth (12 December 2020). "Israel will aim for the moon again in 2024 with Beresheet 2 mission". space.com. Retrieved 3 August 2025.
  12. ↑ "ISA continues to support the Beresheet2 Lunar Mission". Israel Space Agency. 15 May 2023. Retrieved 3 August 2025.
  13. ↑ "SpaceIL obtains $70 million for Beresheet 2 Moon mission". Jerusalem Post. 11 July 2021. Retrieved 3 August 2025.
  14. ↑ "Israel, UAE sign historic space agreement". The Jerusalem Post. 21 October 2021.
  15. ↑ "Beresheet 2 lunar mission loses chief donors due to economic and social situation in Israel". ctech. 14 May 2023. Retrieved 9 July 2025.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.