VIAB News

SpaceIL, Israel’s second private moon mission, discussed putting Virginia high school student payloads on the lunar orbiter Beresheet II (Hebrew for “Genesis”)

Beresheet 2 also plans to make space history as the first mission with a planned double landing on the far side of the moon (which, to date, only China has accomplished). According to the announcement, the landers themselves will also be the smallest ever launched into space, with each weighing 120 kg with fuel and 60 kg without fuel (the original Beresheet weight approximately 600 kg). Furthermore, the orbiting spacecraft will set off on a five-year mission to serve as a platform for educational science activities in Israel and the world via a remote connection that will enable students in multiple countries to take part in deep-space scientific research.