[PODCAST] 'Little Spacecraft' wants to motivate Israeli youth around space

Author-scientist team up with SpaceIL to create children's book.

Dr. Yael Schuster, cofounder of StellarNova with her new book The Little Spacecraft (photo credit: Courtesy)
Dr. Yael Schuster, cofounder of StellarNova with her new book The Little Spacecraft
(photo credit: Courtesy)
A children's book promoting space exploration and science education debuted Sunday to coincide with Israel's Space Week. The Little Spacecraft by Dr. Yael Schuster is a colorful tale of a spacecraft name Berrie who dreams of gong to the the moon. The book is based on the real-life Beresheet spacecraft being built by SpaceIL who collaborated on the book.
The author spoke to Eve Harow host of Rejuvenation on The Land of Israel Network about her new book and her work with the StellarNova group.
"SpaceIL has two stated goals," Shuster explained, "to create and launch a spacecraft to the moon and to educate Israeli youth."
She compared the enthusiasm surrounding the Beresheet craft with the excitement generated in America during the space race of the 1960s. "Kids got motivated during the Cold War and SpaceIL wants to generate that among Israeli youth," she said.
Space Week is an annual event encompassing various space-themed learning activities throughout the country taking place from January 27 to January 31. It is sponsored by events of the Israel Space Agency at the Ministry of Science. Scott Kelly, a NASA astronaut who holds the record for American spaceflights, has arrived in Israel for the opening ceremony.
Israel's SpaceIL craft currently being prepared to visit the moon is being funded by various philanthropists.
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