Why Israel Won’t Give Up On a Moon Landing
Israel’s space program delivers benefits to education, the tech sector and security. It’s central to the country’s vision of itself.
Fail better next time.
Photographer: JACK GUEZ/AFP/Getty Images
Last Thursday evening, just two days after his decisive reelection, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu strode into the command center of the Genesis lunar project, in the Tel Aviv suburb of Yehud. The country’s first moon landing was still minutes away, but Netanyahu beamed with his usual confidence.
“Already we can say that this is another great step for humanity and a giant step for Israel,” he proclaimed. Israel, he noted, is the fourth country, after the the U.S., Russia and China to do so. “Today we can say ‘We are on the map of the moon’ and this is a fantastic accomplishment!”