Countdown
Rivlin meets the spacecraft heading for the moon
Fly me to the moon
Let me play among those stars Let me see what spring is like On Jupiter and Mars
This is the beginning of a love song recorded by Frank Sinatra well over half a century ago. For Israel, it may become more than a song and a dream in just a few days’ time.
Dreamers, donors and partners in Israel’s effort to send a spacecraft to the moon met with President Reuven Rivlin at the President’s Residence on Sunday morning to present him with a copy of a minute time capsule disc that, if all goes according to plan, will be deposited on the moon – together with an Israeli flag – by an unmanned spacecraft being launched this week from aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, at Cape Canaveral in Florida.
Known as Beresheet, the project is a joint endeavor of SpaceIL and Israel Aerospace Industries, but would in all likelihood never have gotten off the ground without the financial input of people such as billionaire philanthropist and SpaceIL President Morris Kahn – who told Rivlin that if this mission is successful, Israel will be only the fourth nation in the world to soft land a spacecraft on the moon after the former USSR, the US and China.
The first moon landing was the Soviet Union’s Luna 2 mission in September 1959. Almost 10 years later, in July 1969, America’s Apollo 11 was the first manned mission to land on the moon with space pioneers Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin.
In January this year, China succeeded in landing a robot spacecraft on the far side of the moon.
Now, it’s Israel’s turn. Characterizing the project as “an example of Israeli ingenuity,” a beaming Kahn said that while Russia, America and China have invested billions of dollars in their efforts to land on the moon, Israel has invested considerably less – a total of around $100 million. Kahn neglected to say that he had contributed $40 million of that amount, but paid tribute to fellow philanthropist Sami Sagol, who was also present and has likewise been generous in his financial support of the project. Other key donors have included Dr. Miriam and Sheldon Adelson, Lynn Schusterman, Gloria and Harvey Kaylie, the Parasol Foundation Trust, Nancy and Steven Grant, and Sylvan Adams.
Kahn said that the Israeli spacecraft will spend approximately four months in space, including the moon landing.
The disc that he presented to Rivlin was “a symbolic gift” he said, containing Holocaust testimony, inscriptions from the people of Israel, a copy of the Old Testament and songs of Israel.
IF SUCCESSFUL, the project will take Israel’s industry to yet another level and Israel Aircraft Industries into space, said Kahn, adding that it will give Israelis a sense of pride.
“This is our gift to the people of Israel,” he said. Rivlin was also presented with a replica of the spacecraft, the navy and white windbreaker with the insignias of Space IL and IAI, as well as the national flag.
“We are already in space,” said IAI CEO Nimrod Sheffer, adding that it was only natural for IAI to partner with Space IL. “This is an example of what is happening in Israel and what can take us to greater heights.”
“When we started this almost a decade ago, we didn’t imagine where it would take us,” said Yonatan Winetraub, a cofounder of Space IL. “The disc contains not only all that Morris said, but also the dreams of all those involved.”
Rivlin said that these are very special days for the State of Israel. He recalled that when he was a boy, Israel produced its first bubble gum, Bazooka, which came in a wrapper that contained a message in a similar manner to Chinese fortune cookies. The message was, “By the time you’re 21, we’ll be on the moon.”
It took a little longer than that, and Rivlin admitted that he did not know “what we’ll do there.” But taking his cue from the Maccabi Tel Aviv basketball team, which in 1977 won the World Cup by defeating the Soviet Union’s CSKA, Rivlin quoted star player Tal Brody, who joyfully pronounced, “We’re on the map and we’ll stay on the map.”
Using that analogy, Rivlin said that he was hopeful that in a relatively short time, Israelis will be able to say, “We’re on the moon and we’ll stay on the moon.”
He also noted that both Kahn and Sagol are men of vision, whose visions have always been realized.
The State of Israel not only has a global reputation for innovation he said, but IAI has partners all over the world.
“So many people see Israel as a strategic partner in everything to do with space,” he said.
Rivlin said he was delighted that the project was not only a technological accomplishment, but also an educational inspiration, which is bound to influence more students to opt for technological studies.
It’s not always easy to get philanthropists who support the weaker sectors of society to contribute to a dream, Rivlin commented, but he was very glad that they had contributed to something that will do so much to boost Israel’s image.
Unlike Russia, America and China, Israel’s ascent to the moon is privately funded, with minimal input from the state.