Israel is on track to make another trip to the Moon after Israeli nonprofit space organization SpaceIL obtained $70 million in funding from a group of donors, the group announced Sunday in a press release.
This puts the mission $30m. short of its estimated $100m. cost. The mission, which is on track for a 2024 launch, will be the first in history to land two spacecraft on the moon at the same time, according to the press release.
“I am grateful to our dear donors, who believe in the power of the Beresheet 2 extraordinary mission to inspire a whole generation of students and dreamers, for their confidence in the ability of SpaceIL to realize this challenging mission, which will place Israel at the front row of global deep-space technology,” SpaceIL CEO Shimon Sarid said.
The entrepreneurs include Patrick Drahi from the Patrick and Lina Drahi Foundation, Morris Kahn of the Kahn Foundation, the Moshal Space Foundation and Entrée Capital.
“The Drahi Foundation aims to promote innovation and entrepreneurship, alongside science education, to position Israel as an international powerhouse in those fields,” Drahi Foundation CEO Angelina Drahi said.
The original Beresheet crashed into the Moon in April 2019.
“The Beresheet project is my life’s mission, so I decided to take it up again,” said Kahn, who is also chairman of the board of directors of SpaceIL. “I plan to do everything that is within my power to take Israel back to the Moon” this time for a historic double landing.”
Among new board members are Drahi, Amalia Zarka, general manager of the Drahi Philanthropic Foundation; Tal Granot-Goldstein, CEO of HOT Group; Frank Melloul, CEO of i24News; Aviad Eyal, managing partner of Entrée Capital and the representative of the Moshal Space Foundation; and Dafna Jackson, CEO of the Kahn family office.