SpaceIL
SpaceIL says “chain of events” led to crash of lunar lander
As SpaceIL continues its investigation into its failed lunar landing attempt April 11, its backers as well as others in the space community remain optimistic about efforts to privately develop such spacecraft despite technical challenges.
SpaceIL lander crashes on moon
An Israeli lunar lander originally built to win a prize competition crashed onto the surface of the moon April 11 when its main engine malfunctioned during descent.
SpaceIL lander enters lunar orbit
SpaceIL announced April 4 that its Beresheet spacecraft has entered orbit around the moon, setting the stage for a landing attempt in a week.
X Prize Foundation offers “Moonshot Award” to SpaceIL
A year after a $20 million prize purse expired, a team in the former Google Lunar X Prize competition could still pick up a smaller consolation prize if it lands on the moon next month.
Maneuver puts SpaceIL lander on course for the moon
SpaceIL’s lunar lander performed a maneuver March 19 that puts the privately developed lander on course to enter orbit around the moon next month.
SpaceIL back on course for the moon after computer glitch
A privately-funded Israeli lunar lander performed a maneuver Feb. 28 to raise its orbit after a computer problem postponed an earlier maneuver.
SpaceIL lunar lander makes first post-launch maneuvers
As an Israeli-built lunar lander makes its first post-launch maneuvers, a Japanese company announced new partnerships in its plans to mount missions to the moon.
SpaceX launches satellites, moon mission on Falcon 9
A SpaceX Falcon 9 carrying an Indonesian communications satellite, an Israeli lunar lander and a U.S. Air Force smallsat launched Feb. 21 from Cape Canaveral, Florida.
SpaceIL completes lunar lander for February launch
A privately funded Israeli lunar lander originally built for a prize competition is now complete and ready for launch in early 2019.
IAI studying follow-on opportunities for SpaceIL lunar lander
As it completes a lunar lander scheduled for launch late this year, an Israeli company says it’s looking for opportunities to do similar future spacecraft to tap into the growing demand for lunar missions.
Bridenstine visits Israel on first foreign trip
On his first foreign trip since taking office nearly three months ago, NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine traveled to Israel this week to meet with the country’s prime minister and other officials.
Lunar X Prize competition to restart, without prize
Days after the decade-old Google Lunar X Prize competition expired without a winner, the X Prize Foundation announced it would “relaunch” the competition, albeit without a prize purse for now.
X Prize teams plan to keep shooting for the moon
The finalists in the Google Lunar X Prize competition say they will continue efforts to send spacecraft to the moon despite the expiration of the prize in March.
Google Lunar X Prize to end without winner
The foundation running the Google Lunar X Prize announced Jan. 23 that the $20 million grand prize for a commercial lunar lander will expire at the end of March without a winner.
SpaceIL making final fundraising push for lunar lander mission
SpaceIL, the Israeli team in the Google Lunar X Prize competition, says it needs to raise $7.5 million in less than a week in order to complete its lander and retain its launch contract.
Google Lunar X Prize teams make last-ditch fundraising appeals
With less than four months remaining in the competition, two of the remaining teams in the Google Lunar X Prize are seeking to raise tens of millions of dollars to complete their spacecraft.
