Israel's Beresheet spacecraft fails to land on moon

[Eugene]

Source: BBC

Israel's Beresheet spacecraft fails to land on moon

By Rebecca Morelle
Science Correspondent, BBC News

11 April 2019

The first privately funded mission to the Moon has failed to land on the lunar surface.

The Israeli spacecraft - called Beresheet - tried to touch down, but instead an engine failed and communication with the spacecraft was lost.

The aim was to take pictures and conduct experiments.

Only government space agencies from the former Soviet Union, the US and China have achieved moon landings.

The mission has cost about $100m and has paved the way for future low-cost lunar exploration.

-snip-

Read more: https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-47879538

[SWBTATTReg]

1. A true shame. Since governments have seemed to cut back on exploration of space, I've...

been hoping that private entities such as Space X, etc. would pick up the slack, and continue the peaceful exploration of space. Perhaps this company will figure out the mishap and will hopefully try again.

[democratisphere]

2. Ruh-roh!

Quality control and engineering have gone to hell.

[liberaltrucker]

3. Oh, it landed

Just not as softly as planned.