Tag Archive for Google’s Lunar XPRIZE

Israel Space Agency, NASA sign deal for moon-bound mission

The cooperation agreement allows Israel’s nonprofit SpaceIL’s lunar mission access to NASA tools and services, while NASA will have access to the scientific data returned from the magnetometer installed aboard the Israeli spacecraft.

By ISRAEL21c Staff

 

The United States space agency, NASA, signed an agreement on October 3 with the Israel Space Agency to cooperatively utilize the Israeli nonprofit SpaceIL’s commercial lunar mission, expected to land on the moon in 2019.

As a part of the agreement, a retro-reflector from NASA will be installed on SpaceIL’s unmanned spacecraft. This instrument reflects laser beams, which will enable NASA to locate the spacecraft precisely on the lunar surface after the landing. Continue Reading »

Israel’s spacecraft to the moon begins construction

SpaceIL has undertaken to promote scientific & technological education in Israel, working with Israel Aerospace Industries that is currently assembling SpaceIL’s spacecraft to inspire the next generation in Israel to study science, engineering, technology and mathematics.

By Ynet

 

SpaceIL, the Israeli representative in the Google Lunar XPRIZE competition, is making giant strides to land the first Israeli spacecraft on the moon, after the base structure of the craft was received at IAI facilities earlier this week.

The skeleton of the spacecraft consists of two perforated “sandwich” boards, upper and lower plates and a cone ring structure.

These components, designed by an aerospace industry and manufactured in Spain by IberEspacio, complement the sub-system structure of the spacecraft to be launched to the moon during the coming year. Continue Reading »

Israel scheduled to be 4th country to land vehicle on the moon

 

Following the U.S., China & the U.S.S.R., Israel’s SpaceIL team for Google’s Lunar XPRIZE competition plans to land a dishwasher-sized vehicle in late 2017, to hop across moon’s surface (rather than rove like others) for a $20 million prize.

By Ilan Gattegno and Israel Hayom Staff

 

Israel is scheduled to become the fourth country to land a spacecraft on the moon, with a launch planned for the end of 2017 by billionaire businessman Elon Musk’s SpaceX company.

The scheduled launch is also set to send several satellites into space, but the Israeli spacecraft is the only one designed to continue to the moon. Continue Reading »