# Beresheet

> Israeli space probe which failed to land on the Moon in 2019

**Wikidata**: [Q61742389](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q61742389)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beresheet)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/beresheet

## Summary
Beresheet was an Israeli lunar lander and space probe that attempted to land on the Moon in 2019. Manufactured by Israel Aerospace Industries and sponsored by SpaceIL, it was launched on February 22, 2019, aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. Although the spacecraft successfully entered lunar orbit, it crashed into the Moon's surface on April 11, 2019, due to a gyroscope failure during descent.

## Key Facts
- **Type:** Lunar lander (space probe).
- **Launch Date:** February 22, 2019, at 01:45 UTC.
- **Launch Vehicle:** Falcon 9 Block 5 (SpaceX).
- **Operator/Manufacturer:** Israel Aerospace Industries Ltd.
- **Sponsor:** SpaceIL.
- **Mission Cost:** Approximately $100 million USD.
- **Mass:** 585 kg (launch weight); 160 kg (empty weight).
- **Dimensions:** 1.535 meters in height and 2.288 meters in diameter.
- **Mission End:** April 11, 2019 (crashed during landing attempt).
- **Successor:** Beresheet 2.

## FAQs
### Q: Did Beresheet successfully land on the Moon?
A: No, Beresheet failed to land. While it successfully entered lunar orbit, the spacecraft crashed into the Moon's surface on April 11, 2019, resulting in its destruction.

### Q: What caused the Beresheet lander to crash?
A: The crash was caused by a failure involving a gyroscope during the landing sequence, which resulted in a lunar impact.

### Q: What was the purpose of the Beresheet mission?
A: Beresheet was designed as a lunar lander to land on the surface of the Moon. It was part of the Google Lunar X Prize competition (active from 2011 to 2018) and carried scientific instruments including a magnetometer and a retroreflector.

### Q: Where was Beresheet intended to land?
A: The target landing location was Mare Serenitatis (coordinates: 32.5956, 19.3496).

## Why It Matters
Beresheet represents a significant milestone in the history of space exploration as the first privately funded mission to attempt a lunar landing. Although the mission ended in a crash, the project demonstrated the capability of a non-governmental entity to build a spacecraft capable of reaching lunar orbit—a feat previously accomplished only by major government space agencies like NASA, the Soviet space program, and China's CNSA.

Initiated in 2011 as part of the Google Lunar X Prize competition, Beresheet highlighted a shift toward lower-cost planetary exploration, completing the mission on a budget of approximately $100 million. This cost-efficiency challenged traditional paradigms of aerospace engineering. The mission also served as a national technological demonstrator for Israel, operated by Israel Aerospace Industries and sponsored by SpaceIL, paving the way for future missions like Beresheet 2. Its legacy lies in proving that deep space access is becoming increasingly feasible for smaller nations and private organizations.

## Notable For
- Being the first Israeli spacecraft to attempt a lunar landing.
- Originating as a competitor for the Google Lunar X Prize.
- Being the first privately funded spacecraft to enter lunar orbit.
- Carrying specific scientific payloads: a magnetometer from the Weizmann Institute of Science and a retroreflector from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center.
- Crashing due to a gyroscope failure during its final descent.

## Body

### Mission Profile and Development
Beresheet (Hebrew for "Genesis") was an Israeli lunar lander created by Israel Aerospace Industries Ltd. The project began in 2011 as part of the Google Lunar X Prize competition, which offered incentives for private teams to land on the Moon. Despite the prize competition ending in 2018 without a winner, the development of the craft continued towards its 2019 launch target. The mission was sponsored by the non-profit organization SpaceIL.

### Technical Specifications
The spacecraft had a launch weight of 585 kilograms and an empty weight of 160 kilograms. Structurally, the probe measured 1.535 meters in height and 2.288 meters in diameter. It utilized a central processing unit identified as the GR712RC. The total capital cost for the mission was reported at $100 million.

Scientific instrumentation on board included:
- **Magnetometer:** Provided by the Weizmann Institute of Science.
- **Retroreflector:** Provided by NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center.

### Launch and Orbital Operations
Beresheet launched on February 22, 2019, at 01:45 UTC from Cape Canaveral Space Launch Complex 40. It was a secondary payload aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 Block 5 (core B1048), launching alongside the Nusantara Satu satellite.

Following launch, the spacecraft performed a series of maneuvers. A significant milestone occurred on April 4, 2019, when Beresheet successfully inserted itself into orbit around the Moon.

### Landing Attempt and Destruction
The mission concluded on April 11, 2019, during a planned landing attempt. The spacecraft lost control and impacted the lunar surface at 19:25 UTC. The location of the impact was Mare Serenitatis. Investigations attributed the failure to a gyroscope malfunction that led to the destruction of the craft. Following the loss of the original probe, plans were made for a successor mission titled "Beresheet 2."

## References

1. [Source](https://www.planetary.org/articles/spaceil-lander-feature)
2. [Source](https://spacenews.com/spaceil-completes-lunar-lander-for-february-launch/)
3. [Source](https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2019/02/spacex-indonesian-launch-israeli-moon-mission/)
4. Jonathan's Space Report
5. [Source](https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/missions/beresheet/in-depth/)
6. [Source](https://www.facebook.com/SpaceIL/photos/a.566507650058740/814073531968816)
7. [Source](https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraft/display.action?id=2019-009B)
8. [Source](https://spacenews.com/new-details-emerge-about-failed-lunar-landings/)
9. [Source](https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/04/science/beresheet-israel-moon-orbit.html)
10. [Source](https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2019/04/beresheet-lunar-landing/)
11. [Source](http://lroc.sese.asu.edu/posts/1101)
12. [Source](https://www.spaceflightinsider.com/missions/commercial/spaceils-beresheet-now-in-lunar-orbit/)
13. [Source](https://www.floridatoday.com/story/news/2019/02/18/spacex-rocket-launch-2019/2890539002/)
14. BBC Things
15. [Source](https://tech.walla.co.il/item/3219655)