Lunar Landing Planned by Israel

If all goes according to plan, Israel’s SpaceIL company will land an unmanned spacecraft on the moon on February 13, 2019. The project is part of the Google Lunar XC Prize competition albeit without the $30 million cash reward which has expired. The winner has to land a privately funded unmanned spacecraft on the moon. The Israeli entry plans to be in space for two months before landing. The SpaceIL craft will ride a Falcon-9 rocket launched at Cape Canaveral, Florida. The Israeli entry bears the distinction of being the smallest vehicle ever landed on the moon at about 82 pounds after the fuel is burned-off during pre-landing maneuvering in space. The only other nations to have landed a spacecraft on the moon are the United States, Russia, and China.