Beresheet 2
| Website | www |
|---|---|
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Spacecraft | Beresheet 2 |
| Spacecraft type | Lunar landers and orbiter |
| Manufacturer | SpaceIL Firefly Aerospace (lander) |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | Mission suspended. Launch was planned for 2025[1] |
Beresheet 2 is a proposed private space mission intended to land two spacecraft on the Moon. Upon reaching the Moon, the spacecraft would split into three: an orbiter and two landers that would be released for landing at different locations on the Moon. The orbiter would continue to orbit the Moon on a long-term multi-year mission. This would be the first-ever dual-lander deployment mission, with the smallest landers to ever soft-land on the Moon.[1] It would have a budget of US$100 million, similar to that of Beresheet, and would include more international collaboration, with the United Arab Emirates and Italy among countries expressing interest.[2][3] The project was planned to include a substantial component of educational activities and an outreach program for the public in the partnering countries. As of 2025, the mission was suspended due to lack of funding.[4]
History
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The mission was announced by the SpaceIL voluntary association, shortly after the conclusion of the first Beresheet mission in April 2019.[5] It was announced on 26 June 2019, that the mission will not target the Moon, and instead it will be to another undisclosed object.[6][7] On 25 November 2019, it was simultaneously announced that the Moon would indeed be the target of Beresheet 2, and that SpaceIL plans to send another lander to Mars.[8][9]
On 16 January 2020, SpaceIL announced that they have officially started to work on Beresheet 2, as they were given the first million-dollar funding for the spacecraft. On 5 February 2020, Shimon Sarid was appointed as CEO of SpaceIL. In this role, Sarid would lead the Beresheet 2 project.[10] In July 2020, engineer Yoav Heichal, former chief engineer of Better Place Ltd, has joined the program as a structural engineer. The program was officially launched by Israel's former president, Reuven Rivlin, on 9 December 2020 and announced that the Beresheet 2 Moon mission would launch in 2024, consisting of an orbiter and two landers.[citation needed] SpacelL was leading the program with the support of the Israel Space Agency.[citation needed]
In July 2021, the Beresheet 2 program raised 70 million dollars from a group of donors: the Patrick & Lina Drahi family foundation, Morris Kahn, and the Moshal Space Foundation.[citation needed] At World Space Week in Dubai in October 2021, Israel and the UAE ministers of science and technology announced plans for cooperation on the mission.[11] In January 2025, Israel Space Agency and Italian Space Agency signed a memorandum of understanding for collaboration on the mission, but any joint budget for the mission had not been decided.[3]
In April 2025, SpaceIL has suspended the work on the Beresheet 2 Moon mission after failing to secure funding.[4][12]
References
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- ^ a b "Ramon.Space and Lulav Space Partner to Navigate Space IL's Next Two Lunar Landings". Ramon.Space (Press release). 7 September 2022. Retrieved 12 September 2022.
- ^ "Israel launches second bid to put a lander on the moon; UAE may join". The Times of Israel. 9 December 2020. Retrieved 10 December 2020.
- ^ a b "SpaceIL, Italian Space Agency to cooperate on Beresheet 2 | The Jerusalem Post". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. 28 January 2025. Retrieved 9 July 2025.
- ^ a b "SpaceIL Suspends Beresheet 2 Lunar Mission Project". Davidson Institute of Science Education. 5 April 2025. Retrieved 9 July 2025.
- ^ Gough, Evan (16 April 2019). "Despite the Crash, SpaceIL is Going Back to the Moon with Beresheet 2". Universe Today.
- ^ SpaceIL: Beresheet won't attempt moon landing, will seek another challenge Eytan Halon and Hagay Hacohen, The Jerusalem Post 26 June 2019
- ^ Israeli team will no longer send a second spacecraft to the Moon Natt Garun The Verge 26 June 2019
- ^ Keyser, Zachary (28 November 2019). "SpaceIL heading back to space, mission to Mars on the horizon". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 13 December 2019.
- ^ Jerenberg, Batya (25 November 2019). "SpaceIL reveals new moon mission set for 2022, with Mars attempt in works". World Israel News. Retrieved 13 December 2019.
- ^ SpaceIL announces new CEO Shimon Sarid to lead Beresheet 2 project Zachary Keyser, The Jerusalem Post 5 February 2020
- ^ "Israel, UAE sign historic space agreement". The Jerusalem Post. 21 October 2021.
- ^ "Beresheet 2 lunar mission loses chief donors due to economic and social situation in Israel". ctech. 14 May 2023. Retrieved 9 July 2025.