--- title: "Israeli Moon Lander Hits Serious Glitch in Orbit" description: "After problems with its navigation system, Israeli lunar lander ran into another serious glitch after its first maneuver: an unexpected computer reboot." date: "2019-02-26" modified: "2019-02-26" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/israeli-moon-lander-hits-a-serious-glitch" categories: - "Astronomy" - "Moon" - "Space" tags: - "lunar lander" - "moon" - "spaceil" --- # Israeli Moon Lander Hits Serious Glitch in Orbit ![After problems with its navigation system, Israeli lunar lander ran into another serious glitch after its first maneuver: an unexpected computer reboot.]() *\Image: SpaceIL\* ## A Bumpy Road After finding problems with its [sensitive "star tracker" navigation system](), the Israeli lunar lander Beresheet ran into another serious glitch after its first maneuver: engineers at Israeli space organization SpaceIL found that the on-board computer rebooted unexpectedly, [*Haaretz* reports](). The 1,290 pound lander deployed from a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket [last week](). Shortly afterward, it sent its first signals back to Earth as part of a first round of in-orbit tests. The on-board computer was supposed to control a three minute engine fire that would take the lander farther away from Earth on its months-long trip to the Moon. But then something unexpected happened. "At this stage, the spacecraft’s computer conducted an independent reset, so the maneuver was cancelled," SpaceIL CEO Ido Anteby said in a press conference call, as quoted by *Haaretz*. ## Long Journey Ahead Beresheet will fly in a massive elliptical spiral around the Earth, slowly easing into the Moon's gravitational pull. Landing on the moon is scheduled for early April. The computer reboot means that Beresheet didn't move itself further away from Earth — it's not yet clear how much of a setback this will be for the team or how far the missing maneuver will postpone the eventual Moon landing. According to the team of engineers, orbital maneuver plans allowed for a couple of days of delays, so it might still land on the lunar surface on schedule. Engineers are still hoping to catch up with the maneuver once they figure out what the cause of the reboot was. If all still goes according to plan, SpaceIL's lunar lander could become the first commercial spacecraft to land on the Moon. **READ MORE:** [A Bumpy Ride to the Moon: Israeli Spacecraft Hits Technical Snag]() \[*Haaretz*\] ***More on the Israeli lander: [SpaceX Just Launched the First Commercial Lunar Lander, Ever]()*** ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()