The Israeli Lunar Lander is Slowly Taking Shape

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The acquisition of the most vital lunar lander component, the propulsion system, was finalized this week after a contract was signed at the IAI Malam division. The lunar lander is expected to reach the moon late 2015.

The estimated cost of the propulsion system, including four fuel tanks and the spacecraft engines, is millions of dollars. Manufacturing and assembling the propulsion system components is expected to take a year and a half.

The propulsion system is the most significant component of the Israeli spacecraft, both in function and dimensions. It comprises about 80% of the entire spacecraft: The propulsion system, with its four fuel tanks, weighs 90 kg with full tanks. The fuel has to carry the vessel all the way to the moon, 384,000 km. The total weight of the vessel at launch will be around 140 kg. SpaceIL engineers are attempting to minimize the weight as much as possible, with the goal being 40 kg with no fuel – the planned weight of the lunar lander at the end of its journey.

The SpaceIL spacecraft is designed to be the smallest lunar lander ever. Its dimensions are 96*72*72 cm at launch. After losing the fuel it will weigh only 40 kg. The SpaceIL team hopes to demonstrate new technology miniaturization capabilities, by building tiny, smart spacecraft at a tenth of the cost compared to known vessels.

IHLS – Israel Homeland Security

A few of the technologies were developed by the team especially for this mission. The SLAM, for example, is an original optic sensor designed to navigate the lander on the moon’s surface, similar to a GPS and sensitive to the vessel’s distance from the ground.

In order to leave the atmosphere the SpaceIL lander will join a planned commercial satellite launch. The organization is currently in negotiations with several launch service providers around the world. After the launch the little Israeli spacecraft will end up in high orbit around planet Earth, where it will disengage and make its way independently to the moon.

SpaceIL is a non-profit organization working on landing an Israeli vessel on the moon for the first time. It was established in 2011, when three Israeli engineers decided to take part in Google’s Lunar X-Prize competition: A modern global race to land an unmanned spacecraft on the moon. SpaceIL is the only Israeli contestant, with the launch scheduled for late 2015.