The First Privately-Funded Unmanned Spacecraft Might Land on the Moon in February

DooKey

DooKey

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An Israeli company is going to be the first to land a privately-funded unmanned spacecraft on the moon if everything goes to plan early next year. SpaceIL originally started this project as part of the Google Lunar XPrize, but they along with all the other competitors weren't able to make the March 31, 2018 deadline to land a craft on the moon and move it 500M once it landed. Even though the XPrize has been cancelled this didn't stop SpaceIL from finishing their design and booking a Falcon 9 for next year. If successful this will make Israel the fourth country in the world to soft land a spacecraft on the moon. Check out their flight plan in the animated video.

Watch the video here.

The spacecraft is a "hopper", which will land and then take off again with the fuel left in its propulsion system, and then perform another landing 500m away, which was a condition of the XPrize.
 
I mean I guess if it's to test new technology in propulsion and if was successful then kudos. Otherwise, what a waste of money. Hard to be impressed these days in landing an unmanned craft on the moon considering the cost to do so.
 
I've been training for this all my life! Playing Lunar Lander! They need to get me on a set of manual controls I'll get it there safely. :D
 
if they are using a falcon 9, then i wonder if it will be the first falcon 9 to send a payload beyond geo stationary orbit. that will be interesting in itself.
 
Rahh said:
I mean I guess if it's to test new technology in propulsion and if was successful then kudos. Otherwise, what a waste of money. Hard to be impressed these days in landing an unmanned craft on the moon considering the cost to do so.
Click to expand...

[2008 regarding SpaceX's first launch]
I mean I guess if it's to test new technology in propulsion and if was successful then kudos. Otherwise, what a waste of money. Hard to be impressed these days in launching an unmanned craft into space considering the cost to do so.


Answer? Because there is huge amounts of wealth to be made in space. As soon as one private entity shows that it can be done affordably then the race starts and prices decrease.

Understand, when a government does it first it's amazing but very expensive - governments can put limitless funds into anything if the desire is strong enough.
Companies must raise the money and are very dependent on investment and do not have limitless funds.


The first few entities that are able to go into space and return with cargo (profitably) will probably be the first trillionars. There are vast resources throughout near-space; it's making it affordable that's key. SpaceX and this launch (especially if it's successful) are the first few steps.
 
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travisty said:
There are vast resources throughout near-space
Click to expand...


and thats from the VERY limited surveying we have done. Cant wait to see what we will find when we are actively and in a massive way looking for resources to mine

if spacex, and others, can get us to having space vehicles where we are basically just paying for the fuel.. WOW will we be able to get off planet and start having some fun.
 
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