Israeli Group To Attempt Moon Landing

One word by Anonymous Coward · 2014-01-31 11:18 · Score: -1

Haha!

Re:One word by Anonymous Coward · 2014-01-31 11:51 · Score: -1, Troll

Jews.
They'll just buy someone who can do this.
Actually, they'll just buy someone who'll SAY that they did it, and they were the originals, doing it 2,500 years before anybody else was there.
Re:One word by Anonymous Coward · 2014-01-31 12:34 · Score: 0, Funny

You mean the USA?
Re:One word by flyneye · 2014-02-01 02:20 · Score: 1, Informative

Specifically Hollywood.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...
We all knew it was coming...

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and where do they get this money? by Anonymous Coward · 2014-01-31 11:19 · Score: 0, Troll

The U.S.

Re:and where do they get this money? by Camel+Pilot · 2014-01-31 11:26 · Score: 1

Maybe from the US citizens not the the US gov't. Only 10% of funds can come from a government source to eligible for the Lunar X prize.
Re:and where do they get this money? by ackthpt · 2014-01-31 11:34 · Score: 4, Interesting

Maybe from the US citizens not the the US gov't. Only 10% of funds can come from a government source to eligible for the Lunar X prize.
One thing about Israel, they've a long track record of finding dirt cheap ways to do things the US government/military or such like to shovel billions of dollars at.

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Re:and where do they get this money? by Anonymous Coward · 2014-01-31 11:42 · Score: -1

You will pay and you will like it. Get back to work goy.
Re:and where do they get this money? by alexander_686 · 2014-01-31 12:01 · Score: 1, Troll

Israel gets a good chunk of direct aid from the US (Classified as military aid, so the pro-Israeli Republicans can cut foreign aid to zero without touching Israel) and indirect aid (the semi-implicit security guaranty).
The point being without this aid, Israel may not have enough free resources to do something like this. Or maybe it is to remind everybody that the nuclear tipped missiles.
Re:and where do they get this money? by DaHat · 2014-01-31 12:13 · Score: 1

Or maybe it is to remind everybody that the nuclear tipped missiles.
Seems rather overkill as the class of rocket (and associated tech) required to land on the moon is far more than what it would take launch any sort of weapon tipped missile launched from Israeli territory... assuming likely targets... unless you are suspecting they are planning on bombing the British or Madagascar. ...and this aside from the Israeli use of retrograde orbits (and the greater fuel costs) for their space program.

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Re:and where do they get this money? by fche · 2014-01-31 12:21 · Score: 2

Such money questions are improper, since they declared themselves non-profit - isn't that inoculation enough? (One wonders how one might plan to turn a profit on a one-way robot ship trip. Sponsorship stickers?)
Re:and where do they get this money? by murdocj · 2014-01-31 12:34 · Score: 0, Troll

Congratulations. I was wondering where the first anti-Israel comment would come in. Nice job.
Re:and where do they get this money? by Anonymous Coward · 2014-01-31 12:51 · Score: 1

Congratulations. I was wondering where the first anti-Israel comment would come in. Nice job.
That's not anti-Israel. It's a fact that Israel gets a lot of funding from the U.S., rightly or wrongly. It would only feel anti-Israel if you were ashamed of the fact.
Re: and where do they get this money? by Anonymous Coward · 2014-01-31 13:09 · Score: 0

I don't see why they'd bomb the British, our current government is friendly to Israel and there's quite a big Jewish community (though nothing compared to New York).
Israel going to the moon though, they should spend the money learning to cover up their secret service operations properly first
Re:and where do they get this money? by ShanghaiBill · 2014-01-31 13:24 · Score: 0

One thing about Israel, they've a long track record of finding dirt cheap ways to do things the US government/military or such like to shovel billions of dollars at.
But still not as cheap as private organizations. I did some free consulting for a group of people in San Jose that are competing for the Lunar X Prize. Their lander weighs 1kg, and is about the size and dimensions of a quart (liter) carton of milk.
Re:and where do they get this money? by cold+fjord · 2014-01-31 13:41 · Score: 1

As far as I see SpaceIL is a private group.
Do you think that other groups lander will be able to make the 500m trip?

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Re:and where do they get this money? by cold+fjord · 2014-01-31 13:45 · Score: 1

The point being without this aid, Israel may not have enough free resources to do something like this.
It's not a government effort, and the $36 million cost isn't even as much as some of the fighter planes they fly, which comes out of their tax dollars. Obviously there is enough resources for it. It is a relative pittance.

Or maybe it is to remind everybody that the nuclear tipped missiles.
Do you really think that any of Israel's enemies is going to forget their armed forces and arms?

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much of left-wing thought is a kind of playing with fire by people who don't even know that fire is hot - George Orwell
Re:and where do they get this money? by litehacksaur111 · 2014-01-31 13:58 · Score: 0, Troll

Israel's defense is entirely paid for by the US, We still give them 10 billion a year in financial aid.
Re:and where do they get this money? by ShanghaiBill · 2014-01-31 14:31 · Score: 2

Do you think that other groups lander will be able to make the 500m trip?
Their plan is to land in one of the "seas" that are relatively smooth. The wheels have a diameter bigger than the body, so the robot can move as easily when inverted as when right side up. It has gone more than 500m when tested in the Mojave Desert, and that is with six times lunar gravity, and half the sunlight intensity. The last time I spoke to them, their biggest concern was not meeting the requirements, but that someone else would beat them to it.
Re:and where do they get this money? by Anonymous Coward · 2014-01-31 14:38 · Score: 1

http://www.ifamericansknew.org/stats/pay.html
Re:and where do they get this money? by cold+fjord · 2014-01-31 14:57 · Score: 1

Interesting, thanks.
It will be fascinating to see how it all plays out.

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much of left-wing thought is a kind of playing with fire by people who don't even know that fire is hot - George Orwell
Re:and where do they get this money? by murdocj · 2014-01-31 15:44 · Score: 3, Insightful

It's anti-Israel in that the story about a private group putting together a moon mission instantly morphs into "those Jews are using our money".
Re:and where do they get this money? by funky_vibes · 2014-01-31 16:44 · Score: 1

Their secret lies in externalizing cost.
Re:and where do they get this money? by Anonymous Coward · 2014-01-31 17:16 · Score: 1

So basically, anything not 100% supportive of Israel is anti-Semitic. Business as usual then.
Re:and where do they get this money? by Anonymous Coward · 2014-01-31 17:38 · Score: 0

Israel receives very little, if any, American cash. The American Foreign Aid, which is around 5% of Israeli budget expenditures, is only used to buy American military equipment.
Re:and where do they get this money? by Anonymous Coward · 2014-01-31 19:36 · Score: 0

Of of them having U.S. give away free ammunition, pay for research so they can spend those darn money on giving settlers free social welfare and medical.
Re:and where do they get this money? by Anonymous Coward · 2014-01-31 23:48 · Score: 0

No, what they do is to get all of the Jewish people worldwide to donate money to Israel. They don't need to go after non jewish donations
Re:and where do they get this money? by K.+S.+Kyosuke · 2014-02-01 01:36 · Score: 1

But still not as cheap as private organizations.
Wasn't it Israelis who fixed Intel after Intel got broken with that P4 thingy?

I did some free consulting for a group of people in San Jose that are competing for the Lunar X Prize. Their lander weighs 1kg, and is about the size and dimensions of a quart (liter) carton of milk.
That's mighty nice of them, but there is such a thing as fixed costs. Even though going from one ton to 100 kg is very much worth it, going from 100 kg to 1 kg probably likely won't save you nearly *that* much. There's also the issue of mission objectives, reliability etc. (Is the thing supposed to just land on the Moon and drive around, or do we want to, say, drill a bit?)

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Ezekiel 23:20
Re:and where do they get this money? by femtobyte · 2014-02-01 03:50 · Score: 1

The posters above didn't say "anti-Semitic," they said "anti-Israel." Please don't confuse the two (as murdocj is attempting to do by shifting from the issue of government versus private funds to "those Jews").

Jews in Space! by Ellis+D.+Tripp · 2014-01-31 11:21 · Score: 4, Funny

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...

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Re: Jews in Space! by Anonymous Coward · 2014-01-31 21:44 · Score: 0

Obliq. The Simpsons quote:
"Mel Brooks is Jewish?!?"
Re:Jews in Space! by TangoMargarine · 2014-02-03 04:04 · Score: 1

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmw...
Bizarrely, they don't mention Serenity.

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Say the Muslims got there first... by Anonymous Coward · 2014-01-31 11:23 · Score: 4, Funny

Someone convince them the Muslims got there first, and are living in craters... then we'll get loads of colonists on the moon in no time.

Re:Say the Muslims got there first... by Anonymous Coward · 2014-01-31 14:11 · Score: 0

That was pretty funny. First comment in a long while that made me laugh out loud.

Here come the rednecks by fiannaFailMan · 2014-01-31 11:25 · Score: -1, Troll

Stand by for a bombardment of "Haha look at those cute non-Americans trying to land on the moon" wankers in 5-4-3-2-1...

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Drill baby drill - on Mars

Re:Here come the rednecks by Anonymous Coward · 2014-01-31 11:45 · Score: -1

You butthurt because we're #1? Quit whining you little euro-weenie.
Re:Here come the rednecks by Anonymous Coward · 2014-01-31 11:54 · Score: 1

Except Russia got there first, with Luna 9.
Re:Here come the rednecks by djh2400 · 2014-01-31 12:03 · Score: 4, Insightful

Personally, I find it somewhat sad that individual groups of people are all trying to accomplish the same thing or things which have been accomplished by humanity previously. What I'm saying is that I wish, rather, that the entire world would unite efforts in furthering human space-exploration technologies instead of countries keeping these "secrets" to themselves and ultimately slowing everything down from what they could be if we had one major, united world effort.
I suppose a lot of that behavior originates from from exactly what you point out in your post — though I do not understand said behavior.
Re:Here come the rednecks by femtobyte · 2014-01-31 12:12 · Score: 2, Informative

Yeah, but that's only one tiny part of the space race --- America's the clear leader if you look at the big milestones, instead of just cherry-picking one isolated mission. Like, first satellite in orbit --- oops, ignore that. How about first human in space --- aww, shit; well they aren't really in space unless they can do the first spacewalk --- dang. Well, the free and equal US at least got the first woman in space... fooey. Well, near-earth is easy stuff anyway; how about first to reach another planet? Darn, but first to touch another planet... well, first to soft-land on another planet... shit. OK, first sample-return from outside earth... err, let's focus on what's really important in the space race...
USA Number One! USA! USA! USA!
Re:Here come the rednecks by khallow · 2014-01-31 12:21 · Score: 1

When we all "cooperate", there's little incentive to actually finish things. Competition works better because then your progress isn't just based on some ambiguous feelgood metric, but also the concrete things that everyone else is doing.
Re:Here come the rednecks by murdocj · 2014-01-31 12:36 · Score: 1

Your point is?
Re:Here come the rednecks by sexconker · 2014-01-31 12:52 · Score: 2

Yeah, but that's only one tiny part of the space race --- America's the clear leader if you look at the big milestones, instead of just cherry-picking one isolated mission. Like, first satellite in orbit --- oops, ignore that. How about first human in space --- aww, shit; well they aren't really in space unless they can do the first spacewalk --- dang. Well, the free and equal US at least got the first woman in space... fooey. Well, near-earth is easy stuff anyway; how about first to reach another planet? Darn, but first to touch another planet... well, first to soft-land on another planet... shit. OK, first sample-return from outside earth... err, let's focus on what's really important in the space race...
USA Number One! USA! USA! USA!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F...
GGWP rest of the world.
Re:Here come the rednecks by fiannaFailMan · 2014-01-31 13:06 · Score: 2

His point is that this "We're #1" hubris is a bit misplaced when it was the Russians that got just about every single first in the space race. Year the moon landing was slick and the joyride on the surface in a rover with a driver's seat was kinda cool, but don't go around saying America was first in everything.
This complacency is going to be America's undoing, and the standard racist /. reaction to every non-American space venture is just a symptom of it.

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Drill baby drill - on Mars
Re:Here come the rednecks by paskie · 2014-01-31 13:09 · Score: 4, Interesting

Individual groups of people all trying to accomplish the same thing or things is absolutely essential to get stuff done. It motivates people to focus and work hard on the problem, because they know that others are working hard too and they will likely reach similar quality and are progressing fast. The competition between people means competition between solutions, which allows the soundest solutions to prevail (up to exceptions).
Competition can be friendly, especially if you are not too emotionally invested, and that's great especially for the people involved. Unfriendly competition is still great in the long run even though it introduces redundancies. The space race gave a big surge to the technological progress. Sport competitions give many athletes (or chess players or whoever) an incentive to improve. Computer Go programs evolved rapidly recently also thanks to competition. Recent Debian discussions about their next init system gave massive boost to openrc development.
Without competition, people are lazy and slack, since any effort is not worth it! Competition is awesome!

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Re:Here come the rednecks by murdocj · 2014-01-31 15:47 · Score: 1

Ok. So here's a question: it's 2014, not 1965. Which space program would you rather have: the USA's, China's, or Russia's? Which one is having the most success *right now*? Which one is roving Mars? Orbiting Saturn? Exploring interstellar space? Heading to Pluto? Would you really trade even up for Russia's Soyuz? Because it seems like that's about what they have going right now.
Re:Here come the rednecks by Anonymous Coward · 2014-01-31 17:54 · Score: 0

The only people that chant things like that are people that are criticizing the US. Hard to believe but people don't actually do that here...except near the 4th of July, because we get to blow stuff up if it is in the name of patriotism.
Re:Here come the rednecks by isorox · 2014-02-01 01:10 · Score: 1

Ok. So here's a question: it's 2014, not 1965. Which space program would you rather have: the USA's, China's, or Russia's? Which one is having the most success *right now*? Which one is roving Mars? Orbiting Saturn? Exploring interstellar space? Heading to Pluto? Would you really trade even up for Russia's Soyuz? Because it seems like that's about what they have going right now.
Only one way for thee and me to get into space, and that's Russia.
Re:Here come the rednecks by isorox · 2014-02-01 01:11 · Score: 1

Ok. So here's a question: it's 2014, not 1965. Which space program would you rather have: the USA's, China's, or Russia's? Which one is having the most success *right now*? Which one is roving Mars? Orbiting Saturn? Exploring interstellar space? Heading to Pluto? Would you really trade even up for Russia's Soyuz? Because it seems like that's about what they have going right now.
Only one way for thee and me to get into space, and that's Russia.
And China of course. India may well be next.
Re:Here come the rednecks by murdocj · 2014-02-01 01:23 · Score: 1

Well, Russia plus 20 million dollars. Good luck with that.
Re:Here come the rednecks by isorox · 2014-02-01 02:57 · Score: 1

Well, Russia plus 20 million dollars. Good luck with that.
It's called capitalism. Something the USA doesn't have (you do have corporatism though, like 1930s Germany)

How long until by Anonymous Coward · 2014-01-31 11:27 · Score: 0

moon colonies?

Re:How long until by mwehle · 2014-01-31 11:45 · Score: 5, Funny

moon colonies?
That would be moon "settlements" - Israel doesn't colonize, citizen.

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Good luck by bob_super · 2014-01-31 11:28 · Score: 0

Let's wish the first Israeli moon probe a better landing than the first Israeli astronaut.

Re:Good luck by cold+fjord · 2014-01-31 11:38 · Score: 1

Amen to that, and they are working to put another astronaut in space as well.

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much of left-wing thought is a kind of playing with fire by people who don't even know that fire is hot - George Orwell

What people are forgetting... by Kuroji · 2014-01-31 11:31 · Score: 2, Insightful

Going to the moon isn't merely a curiosity or a scientific achievement. It's a statement to the world that you were able to accurately land a payload on a target more than 350,000 km away. If you can do that with a rocket that leaves near-Earth orbit, it means you can do it with one that does not leave Earth orbit.

In other words, moon landings are how you tell the world you have ICBMs (or at least the ability to make them) without the public throwing a fit about it.

Re:What people are forgetting... by Ellis+D.+Tripp · 2014-01-31 11:39 · Score: 3, Insightful

Putting a satellite into a predetermined orbit proves the same thing, without the added expense of going all the way to the moon...

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Re:What people are forgetting... by turkeydance · 2014-01-31 11:40 · Score: 1

exactamount.....first the Nukes, then the Moon. Alice, to the Moon!
Re:What people are forgetting... by khallow · 2014-01-31 11:47 · Score: 3, Informative

Exactly. This accuracy greatly exceeds any ICBM need. And Israel has already put things in orbit with six successful launches so far so any need for that bit of posturing has been satisfied.
Re:What people are forgetting... by cusco · 2014-01-31 11:59 · Score: 4, Insightful

Really? This garbage again? India launches a probe to Mars and the Luddites scream "IT'S AN ICBM!!" Now Israel. Utter stupidity. Do you think that generals in Israel and India do not talk to their counterparts in Pakistan and Iran? Is this actually a surprise to anyone who has been paying any attention AT ALL to the advancement of aerospace science over the last half a century? Targeting systems aren't even considered high-tech any more, you could program an Arduino board and a GPS receiver to do it.
Here's a headline for you: SpaceX and Virgin Galactic Can Produce ICBMs! Run And Hide!
Frelling idiots.

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Re:What people are forgetting... by DaHat · 2014-01-31 12:01 · Score: 1

By that logic... there is little difference between Sputnik & Apollo 11.
Both were based largely on the same principals & sciences... only while the latter was not only a lot more expensive & complicated, also stands as greater proof of ones technological abilities.

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Help Brendan pay off his student loans
Re:What people are forgetting... by turkeydance · 2014-01-31 12:03 · Score: 1

you win....running and hiding.
Re:What people are forgetting... by Anonymous Coward · 2014-01-31 12:03 · Score: 0

It's mostly about popularity polls and the next election. When a country makes a big achievement like win lots of gold medals at the olympics or land on the moon, people feel good about themselves. When people feel good they tend to forgive more easily and feel good about their leaders. When they feel good about their leaders, they re-elect them.
Re:What people are forgetting... by Ellis+D.+Tripp · 2014-01-31 12:19 · Score: 1

By that logic... there is little difference between Sputnik & Apollo 11.
As far as demonstrating a capacity for deploying an ICBM (which is what is being considered here), there wasn't any.
Once you can put a booster into a predetermined orbit, and release a payload at a precise point, you essentially have the ability to deliver a warhead to any point on the planet.
The additional technologies involved in deep space travel/navigation, long term thermal and power management, astronaut life support, or the ability to soft-land on the moon and lift off again are irrelevant to lobbing a nuke at another point on the Earth.

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Re:What people are forgetting... by murdocj · 2014-01-31 12:38 · Score: 3, Insightful

Or maybe, just maybe, it's a scientific accomplishment that a technologically advanced nation would like to achieve. They don't have to land on the moon to remind the other nations in the Middle East that this probably isn't the best time to start another pogrom.
Re:What people are forgetting... by Anonymous Coward · 2014-01-31 13:33 · Score: 0

Israel launched a satellite years ago, and it is already well-known that they can hit any of their nearby enemies. There can be no motive to demonstrate a capability if that capability is already well known.
I do not believe your interpretation of this planned mission is correct.
Re:What people are forgetting... by Anonymous Coward · 2014-01-31 21:38 · Score: 0

Here's a headline for you: SpaceX and Virgin Galactic Can Produce ICBMs! Run And Hide!
Frelling idiots.
Give me a heads up when SpaceX and Virgin Galactic start building breeder reactors.
Re:What people are forgetting... by Anonymous Coward · 2014-02-03 23:48 · Score: 0

Not only can SpaceX produce ICBMs, their rockets fit the classic profile of "Giant Phallic Totem". Virgin on the other hand, well I don't know what they were thinking.

well... by __Paul__ · 2014-01-31 11:31 · Score: 3, Funny

Maybe ... the ... author ... should ... try ... writing ... an ... article ... in ... full ... sentences

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Re:well... by sconeu · 2014-01-31 11:38 · Score: 5, Funny

He's just channelling his inner Shatner.

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General Relativity: Space-time tells matter where to go; Matter tells space-time what shape to be.
Re:well... by wonkey_monkey · 2014-01-31 11:49 · Score: 1

But then how will everyone know that he's just blindly copy-pasted a couple of paragraphs from the ohhhh nevermind.

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systemd is Roko's Basilisk.
Re:well... by Anonymous Coward · 2014-01-31 11:55 · Score: 0

Ellipsis

Ellipsis . . . is a series of dots that usually indicate an intentional omission of a word, sentence or whole section from the original text . . . not necessary for comprehension.
Thread with free clues
Re:well... by khallow · 2014-01-31 12:25 · Score: 1

And here was one of the free clues.

Relocating the Palestinians .. by Anonymous Coward · 2014-01-31 11:31 · Score: 1, Funny

Are they planning to relocate the Palestinians to the moon?

Re:Relocating the Palestinians .. by bob_super · 2014-01-31 13:05 · Score: 1

The comment right above, about relocating Palestinians to the moon was modded funny.
The comment right below, about relocating Israeli settlers to the moon was modded troll.
Can we meta-mod the mods?
Re:Relocating the Palestinians .. by mrbluze · 2014-01-31 13:31 · Score: 1

The comment right above, about relocating Palestinians to the moon was modded funny. The comment right below, about relocating Israeli settlers to the moon was modded troll.
Can we meta-mod the mods?
Maybe we need a funny troll mod that equates to zero karma.

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Re:Relocating the Palestinians .. by dbIII · 2014-01-31 18:08 · Score: 1

A funny mod is zero karma these days isn't it? When it wasn't a few recycled jokes were all that was required to hit the karma cap.

Possibly a Good idea by rueger · 2014-01-31 11:37 · Score: 0, Troll

If they can send all of the "settlers" there, instead of into Palestine.

(Why am I imagine a mash up between Gil Scott Heron and Mel Brooks?

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Three Squirrels

Better Idea by Anonymous Coward · 2014-01-31 11:44 · Score: -1

Since the Palestinians just want to throw rockets and suicide bombers into peaceful Israeli cities, how about we place the decidedly uncivilized Palestinian population on the moon, removed from humanity where they belong?

Re:Better Idea by Anonymous Coward · 2014-01-31 11:55 · Score: 1

How uncivilized! Lobbing rockets at the people living in the houses you built, and then were forced out of by guns and tanks. Clearly, being evicted from your ancestral homes by force (in violation of international law) is nothing to get angry about. No decent human would be outraged at having their country occupied by foreigners who regularly imprison and torture dissidents, while blockading normal international trade, resulting in frequent severe lack of access to basic food and medicine.
Re:Better Idea by Anonymous Coward · 2014-01-31 11:58 · Score: 1

You really need to learn some history... and law.
See http://www.youtube.com/watch?v... for a start.
Re:Better Idea by Anonymous Coward · 2014-01-31 12:17 · Score: 0

You're missing some history.
Time Now for a Declaration of Mideast Peace; Doomed Arab Refugees

In ''Semites and Anti-Semites'' (New York, 1986), Bernard W. Lewis quotes (page 270) from the memoirs of Khalid al-Azm, Prime Minister of Syria in 1948-49, listing the factors that led to Israel's success:
.... the summons of the Arab governments to the population of Palestine to leave the country and take refuge in the neighboring Arab countries . . . this collective flight served the Jews and strengthened their position without effort. . . . Since 1948 we have been demanding the return of the refugees to their homes when we ourselves were the ones who induced them to leave them. . . . We doomed a million Arab refugees, by calling on them and insisting that they abandon their land, their homes, their work and their occupations, and we made them unemployed and homeless.''
Re:Better Idea by femtobyte · 2014-01-31 12:25 · Score: 1

You're also missing some history --- you do realize that the 1949 borders are not generally the territory under dispute? That Israel has done a few things since then with regard to stealing territory and imposing perpetual occupations?
Re:Better Idea by murdocj · 2014-01-31 12:42 · Score: 1

Sadly, the Palestinians had a chance to negotiate a peace that would have recovered territory when Labor was in power, but Arafat found it much more comfortable to be a leader in exile than to take a chance on peace. As Abba Eban said, "the Palestinians never miss a chance to miss a chance".
Re:Better Idea by Anonymous Coward · 2014-01-31 13:03 · Score: 0

Or conversely why dont we send all the rabid Zionist land grabbers to build those cities on the moon.
I have nothing against Jewish people but I oppose Zionism.
Re:Better Idea by Anonymous Coward · 2014-01-31 13:34 · Score: 2, Informative

Hmmm
Re:Better Idea by jedidiah · 2014-01-31 14:34 · Score: 1

It's not Israel "stealing" territory and imposing perpetual occupation. It's the unwillingess of the so-called allies of the Palestinians to actually end the various wars they have started.
Egypt got it's territory back as soon as they made peace with Israel.

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A Pirate and a Puritan look the same on a balance sheet.
Re:Better Idea by cdwiegand · 2014-02-01 08:44 · Score: 1

Great, so you're ok with arming the American Indians, then, right? Because that's EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED TO THEM until about a century or so ago.

--
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Re:Better Idea by TangoMargarine · 2014-02-03 04:10 · Score: 1

Admittedly moving all the Israelis to the moon would make them a lot harder to hit with 10 dollar rocket attacks...

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dQo7l by Anonymous Coward · 2014-01-31 11:48 · Score: -1

UnitEd States of iirecoverable

I don't mean to belittle the will to do so... by trims · 2014-01-31 11:48 · Score: 0

But this has long since ceased to be any sort of technical challenge or accomplishment.

Putting a lander on the moon (or, even, for that matter, a human) is not much of a technical challenge, insofar as needing to do anything other than learn how to properly use complex (but well-known) technology.

There's a whole raft of small aerospace companies (of which SpaceX is merely the best known) with funding in the low millions than can produces a lunar lander for you within 6 months of a go-ahead. And building a sufficiently large rocket to put 100kg on the moon for a 1-way trip is merely a matter of money, not even advanced tech these days.

The bigger obstacle is political will, and being able to divert the few tens of millions it costs from being cannibalized by special interests.

If the Israelis do it, good for them. But it's not really advancing the state-of-the-art in any way, nor is it much more than a publicity stunt.

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Re:I don't mean to belittle the will to do so... by mark-t · 2014-01-31 12:14 · Score: 3, Insightful

But this has long since ceased to be any sort of technical challenge or accomplishment.

Really? How many things have *YOU* soft-landed on the moon?

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Re:I don't mean to belittle the will to do so... by murdocj · 2014-01-31 12:44 · Score: 2

Wish I had some mod points to rate you up... that was the first thing I wondered. I mean, landing on the moon is SO easy, anybody can stick a firecracker on a tin can and do it.
Re:I don't mean to belittle the will to do so... by isorox · 2014-02-01 01:13 · Score: 1

But this has long since ceased to be any sort of technical challenge or accomplishment.
Putting a lander on the moon (or, even, for that matter, a human) is not much of a technical challenge, insofar as needing to do anything other than learn how to properly use complex (but well-known) technology.
The U.S. can't rebuild Saturn V rockets. Hell it can't even put someone into low earth orbit.
Space is still hard.
Re:I don't mean to belittle the will to do so... by Anonymous Coward · 2014-02-01 10:06 · Score: 0

Ten for each time the US gave me 3 billions. I've been drawing a penis on the Moon for the last half century but because of a software bug it's on the dark side and you can't see it from here.

Re:More Jews in Space! by nbauman · 2014-01-31 11:50 · Score: 1

http://www.evcomics.com/2009/0...

Flying to the moon might turn out to be easier... by ffkom · 2014-01-31 11:51 · Score: 5, Insightful

... than making peace with your neighbours. ;-)

Re:Bibi in Space! by nbauman · 2014-01-31 11:52 · Score: 1

(Warning: Possibly anti-Semitic content)

http://www.evcomics.com/2012/0...

what about Iran? by Anonymous Coward · 2014-01-31 11:58 · Score: 0

I wonder how America would feel if Iran tried to land a similar probe on the moon instead?

Moon Nazis by CohibaVancouver · 2014-01-31 12:00 · Score: 1

Uh oh - What about the Nazis hiding out up there on the Moon? This can't end well...

Re:Moon Nazis by fahrbot-bot · 2014-01-31 13:13 · Score: 1

Uh oh - What about the Nazis hiding out up there on the Moon? This can't end well...
Exactly.

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Re:Moon Nazis by Ardipithecus · 2014-01-31 15:46 · Score: 1

Iron Sky
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt10...

The parachute won't work by jfdavis668 · 2014-01-31 12:04 · Score: 1

and they shouldn't have used a washing machine.

Re:Flying to the moon might turn out to be easier. by techno-vampire · 2014-01-31 12:24 · Score: 1, Interesting

Especially when you consider that most of your neighbors (if not all) belong to a religion that forbids them from making peace with anybody who doesn't share their religion. At best, you can get a long-term truce, but never peace. Who knows? Maybe flying to the Moon will help persuade the more reasonable factions in the Middle East that a very, very long-term truce with Israel is a Good Idea.

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Re:Flying to the moon might turn out to be easier. by ffkom · 2014-01-31 12:30 · Score: 2

I recommend this entertaining quiz for more insight on how peaceful either religion is.

Oh no... by psinet · 2014-01-31 12:32 · Score: 0

This is just the beginning. Moon Alliyah and settlements to come, replete with extremely loud, religious 19th century gun-toting god-botherers claiming God said the moon was theirs.

Re:Oh no... by Anonymous Coward · 2014-01-31 21:51 · Score: 0

This is just the beginning. Moon Alliyah and settlements to come, replete with extremely loud, religious 19th century gun-toting god-botherers claiming God said the moon was theirs.
Followed by a parade of Palestinians holding up antique keys and claiming that the Jooooooos threw their grandparents out of their moon-houses and stole their moon-land.

Jews in Outer Space by theArtificial · 2014-01-31 12:40 · Score: 1

History of the World, Courtesy of Mel Brooks.

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"Israel Plans".... huh? by whistlingtony · 2014-01-31 12:47 · Score: 5, Insightful

The article starts off with "Israel Plans", except it's not Israel, it's an organization inside Israel? I had a salad for lunch. "America has salad for lunch! Later plans to visit restroom!"

Re:"Israel Plans".... huh? by Gravis+Zero · 2014-01-31 13:28 · Score: 1

mod parent up because there is a HUGE difference between a small group and a state doing this.

The washing machine-sized spacecraft that weighs 121 kilograms is being readied by a not-for-profit venture called SpaceIL which operates out of a small non-descript office donated to it by Tel Aviv University.

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Launch date? by toxygen01 · 2014-01-31 12:53 · Score: 1

Is it just me or is there no reference to launch date whatsoever?

Why are they doing it? by Etherwalk · 2014-01-31 13:06 · Score: 0

Or maybe, just maybe, it's a scientific accomplishment that a technologically advanced nation would like to achieve. They don't have to land on the moon to remind the other nations in the Middle East that this probably isn't the best time to start another pogrom.

They don't have to, but it's a very clear message, from a sometimes-aggressive and presumed nuclear nation.

There are basically three reasons to do it. (1) It's fucking cool. (2) It's a message to their enemies that they are capable of building ICBMs and putting their nukes anywhere on the planet. (3) It will be useful in domestic political campaigns.

Reason (1) is the best one, but it is exceptionally rare for countries to fund things for reason (1). (2) and/or (3) are FAR more likely.

Re:Why are they doing it? by murdocj · 2014-01-31 15:50 · Score: 4, Insightful

"sometimes-aggressive" as in Israel occasionally have to push back against the surrounding countries that want to finish what Hitler started.
Re:Why are they doing it? by Anonymous Coward · 2014-01-31 17:02 · Score: -1

Wow, troll much? No party platform of any mid-east country is 'exterminate all ethnic jews' -- it's 'remove them from israel/palestine'

Sort of a big difference there.
Re:Why are they doing it? by blackraven14250 · 2014-01-31 19:24 · Score: 2

"Remove them from Israel/Palestine" frequently came with a sometimes explicit, sometimes implicit "by killing them". The situation in the Middle East is not quite as bad as it used to be, but only a couple years ago Ahmadinejad was ready to use nukes to do it.

wait a minute.... by Anonymous Coward · 2014-01-31 13:08 · Score: 0

They're going to (already?) spend $36 million to win a $30 million prize.

I don't think they're as smart as a rocket scientist.. oh, wait...

Re:wait a minute.... by femtobyte · 2014-01-31 13:28 · Score: 1

Correction: they're going to spend $36M of other people's money to win a $30M prize for themselves. You don't think the rocket scientists running this are footing the bill themselves, do you? Or that a lot of the money they're spending is going to strangers? If you want to question the financial wisdom of this venture, you might want to look at the people doing more of the paying and less of the getting paid side of the equation. That said, many space ventures have been more about dick waving than financial or scientific return on investment; and a $36M space dick is a really cheap space dick by most comparisons (especially for one that reaches the moon).
Re:wait a minute.... by cold+fjord · 2014-01-31 13:39 · Score: 1

A pity you couldn't substitute "prestige" for "dick waving" and "space program" for "space dick."

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Re:wait a minute.... by femtobyte · 2014-01-31 13:53 · Score: 2

Apologies if poking fun at the motivations for private space exploration annoys people like yourself lacking in "prestige" due to having a small "space program."
Re:wait a minute.... by cold+fjord · 2014-01-31 13:56 · Score: 1

Well done, I knew you could do it.

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much of left-wing thought is a kind of playing with fire by people who don't even know that fire is hot - George Orwell
Re:wait a minute.... by TangoMargarine · 2014-02-03 04:19 · Score: 1

Someone needs to examine the definition of "not-for-profit"--either the organization in question, or their detractors. I'm not sure which.

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next question in the Knesset.... by JustNiz · 2014-01-31 13:21 · Score: 0

...so could this "lunar rocket" be "accidentally" targeted at Palestine?

Re:next question in the Knesset.... by rossdee · 2014-01-31 15:33 · Score: 1

Only if it fell over before lift off

Re:Flying to the moon might turn out to be easier. by Gravis+Zero · 2014-01-31 13:29 · Score: 1

well if that jerk would just keep his dog off my yard...

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moon jews! by Anonymous Coward · 2014-01-31 13:45 · Score: -1

Just what we need - moon jews

Re:Flying to the moon might turn out to be easier. by BlueStrat · 2014-01-31 13:48 · Score: 2

I'll just leave this here...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...

Strat

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Moonbase imminent. by Anonymous Coward · 2014-01-31 14:27 · Score: 0

Let's face it, as soon as Israel can reach the moon it's just a matter of time before they build a settlement on it.

Re:Flying to the moon might turn out to be easier. by mrbluze · 2014-01-31 14:29 · Score: 1

Especially when you consider that most of your neighbors (if not all) belong to a religion that forbids them from making peace with anybody who doesn't share their religion.

Which religion were you referring to?

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Re:Flying to the moon might turn out to be easier. by jedidiah · 2014-01-31 14:36 · Score: 0

> Which religion were you referring to?

The one that advocates global jihad and a caliphate.

It's like the Tea Party but with different hats.

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Re:Flying to the moon might turn out to be easier. by Anonymous Coward · 2014-01-31 15:57 · Score: -1

The more you try to marginalize a population, the more radical it will become.

If you want to talk about "peaceful neighbours", how about talking about the radical settler movement? Them heaving the entire army to do whatever they want? If you shit on your neighbours, don't expect to be treated well in the future. Radicalization and marginalization of so called "Arab Israelis refugees" is a policy brought to you by the the radical settler movement and the radical Zionists. *Not* Jews, *Zionists*.

Zionists have created an apartheid state. And it is these Zionists that will destroy the Israeli state as it is today precisely because of their apartheid actions. Just as it happened in South Africa, it will happen in Israel. It is quite unavoidable now thanks to the radicals. They even took out Sharon, just like Rabin before him.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A...

http://www.abc.net.au/news/200...

The Haaretz newspaper said that after Mr Sharon suffered a minor stroke in December, doctors prescribed blood-thinning medication that may have caused last week's major stroke.

It quoted a doctor it said was close to the case as saying doctors did not know at the time that he suffered from cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA), which made him susceptible to brain haemorrhages. The condition was only diagnosed last week, the newspaper said.

But Mr Mor-Yosef told reporters the story was incorrect.

"This morning what was published in one of the newspapers was not correct," he said.

"The doctors of Hadassah knew about the brain diagnosis of the Prime Minister the night he was taken in for his first hospitalisation [in December]," he said.

PR stunts cannot erase wrongdoings... by funky_vibes · 2014-01-31 16:52 · Score: 0

PR stunts cannot erase the bloodstained governance that plagues this military-apartheid state.

Re:Flying to the moon might turn out to be easier. by blackpaw · 2014-01-31 17:30 · Score: 1

> Which religion were you referring to?

The one that advocates global jihad and a caliphate.

It's like the Tea Party but with different hats.

Keep drinking the koolaid and spouting that hasbara.

Please try to avoid spreading misinformation by sela · 2014-01-31 18:27 · Score: 4, Informative

The US gives Israel about 3 billion a year in financial aid, and Israel can only use this money to buy military equipment back from the US.

Israel's defense budget is about 15 billion a year.

Re: Please try to avoid spreading misinformation by Anonymous Coward · 2014-02-01 05:27 · Score: 0

A few things that people need to read.
1. Of the direct $3bn given to Israel every year, only approximately three-quarters (74%) of it must be spent to buy military equipment from the US. Israel can and does spend the rest of that money elsewhere, including purchases from rivals to the United States (e.g., Russia) and in expanding its settlements. ($3.15bn annually 2013 - 2018- http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/mideast/RL33222.pdf )
2. On top of this $3bn in military grants, Israel also benefits from US backed loan guarantees and loan forgiveness totaling $1bn - $3bn annually. (See: Cranston Amendment to start.)
3. When you consider the billions of dollars of loaned money that ends up forgiven, you must also include the subsequent billions of dollars in interest removed from the US economy. (Nearly $50bn since 1949.)
4. In a similar fashion, billions of dollars of free money and military hardware to Israel means that Israel can afford to spend that money elsewhere, as it pleases, with no consequences. Pro-Israelis always point out how Israel has to spend most of the money on US military hardware, but forget that Israel needs this military equipment. US grants and loan forgiveness simply means Israel doesn't have to sacrifice billions of dollars of "butter" annually to acquire it. (Nearly $100bn since 1949.)
5. Nearly $10bn in "Join Defense Projects," plus $300mn toward Israel's "Iron Dome," plus Israel access to American "emergency stockpiles" kept in Israel totally $1.3bn. (Israel took advantage of this access during the 2006 conflict with Hezbollah.) There are dozens of smaller grants that end up paying for settlements, hospitals and infrastructure.
5. Total cost to the American taxpayer: Nearly $150bn. And that's just the hard numbers, not the more-difficult-to-calculate amounts due to the secondary and tertiary effects of American support for Israel, trade secrets lost due to Israeli spying, etc.

Re:Flying to the moon might turn out to be easier. by Anonymous Coward · 2014-01-31 19:39 · Score: 0

He is probably referring to Christianity and the Bible (Old Testament) which forbids any peace, and denies heaven to anyone not slaughtering disbelievers.

complete BS by Anonymous Coward · 2014-01-31 19:46 · Score: 0

A fraction c Israel.defence is aid by the U.S..
The numbers are.public.

If you ent know, don't make things up, no hats just ignorant.

Israel is obliged to buy only us army products with that dollar aid and as I.recall, Israel is will funding a vibrant local army industries, such as uavs , which compete with us uavs.
Hell, the us even uses them itself.

So f you dnt know,.just shut up.

Re:complete BS by Anonymous Coward · 2014-02-01 05:35 · Score: 0

You're not correct.
1. Of the direct $3bn given to Israel every year, only approximately three-quarters (74%) of it must be spent to buy military equipment from the US. Israel can and does spend the rest of that money elsewhere, including purchases from rivals to the United States (e.g., Russia) and in expanding its settlements. ($3.15bn annually 2013 - 2018- http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/mideast/RL33222.pdf )
2. On top of this $3bn in military grants, Israel also benefits from US backed loan guarantees and loan forgiveness totaling $1bn - $3bn annually. (See: Cranston Amendment to start.)
3. When you consider the billions of dollars of loaned money that ends up forgiven, you must also include the subsequent billions of dollars in interest removed from the US economy. (Nearly $50bn since 1949.)
4. In a similar fashion, billions of dollars of free money and military hardware to Israel means that Israel can afford to spend that money elsewhere, as it pleases, with no consequences. Pro-Israelis always point out how Israel has to spend most of the money on US military hardware, but forget that Israel needs this military equipment. US grants and loan forgiveness simply means Israel doesn't have to sacrifice billions of dollars of "butter" annually to acquire it. (Nearly $100bn since 1949.)
5. Nearly $10bn in "Join Defense Projects," plus $300mn toward Israel's "Iron Dome," plus Israel access to American "emergency stockpiles" kept in Israel totally $1.3bn. (Israel took advantage of this access during the 2006 conflict with Hezbollah.) There are dozens of smaller grants that end up paying for settlements, hospitals and infrastructure.
5. Total cost to the American taxpayer: Nearly $150bn. And that's just the hard numbers, not the more-difficult-to-calculate amounts due to the secondary and tertiary effects of American support for Israel, trade secrets lost due to Israeli spying, etc.

my God, you people.are.slow by Anonymous Coward · 2014-01-31 20:00 · Score: 0

What part of PRIVATE organization don't you get?

It's a PRIVATE organization, we are doing it solely on science.

There is no more than 10% gvment funding and even then , it's financial , with what the industry could benefit.

Politics has NOTHING in it nor we want it within our project.

Please, stop making reasons up. Unlike our neighbors , or you for that matter, science is our main goal, we couldn't care less for war, nor do we.want to promote it in any kind.
What we do promote is the education of an entire generation, similar to the post 69 era in the us.

no no by Anonymous Coward · 2014-01-31 20:07 · Score: 0

The pallies have already declared themselves the moon natives and that the Zionist empire is trying to expand there. T
They are claiming nazies from the.moon is a documentary Palestine have made of Zionist plans to the moon and earth.

THAT IS HOW CRAZY YOU SOUND.

Numbnutz.

Re:Flying to the moon might turn out to be easier. by Anonymous Coward · 2014-01-31 21:45 · Score: -1

Keep bumping your head on a rug with your ass in the air so Allah can buttfuck you.

Who is behind by Anonymous Coward · 2014-02-01 01:20 · Score: 0

'Israel plans to do what only the world's biggest countries have so far managed to do:

Well, is it Israel trying to send robot under fake name of some anonymous group and thus steal Google prize ? :)

Ahh let the Jew hate wash over you by gelfling · 2014-02-01 02:10 · Score: 1

Like a Treblinka shower. I didn't know there were so many liberals here @ /.

All these worlds are yours, bubbie by Anonymous Coward · 2014-02-01 03:01 · Score: 0

Except Europa. Would it kill you not land there, like a shmendrick?

You Are Cherry Picking by thrich81 · 2014-02-01 03:01 · Score: 4, Informative

Let's look at the subject in more detail. First satellite, first human, first successful lunar mission -- clearly the Soviets.
After that:
First successful mission to another planet: Mariner 2 flyby of Venus, 1962, USA. Your listing of Venera 1 as the "first to reach another planet" neglects to mention that the spacecraft failed before it got there.
First successful mission to Mars: Mariner 4, 1964, USA.
First communications satellites: passive, Echo I, 1960, USA; active, Courier 1B, USA.
First spacecraft rendezvous in orbit: Geminis 6 and 7, 1965, USA.
First spacecraft docking in orbit: Gemini 8, 1966, USA.
First manned spacecraft beyond low earth orbit: Apollo 8, 1968, USA
First manned spacecraft in lunar orbit: Apollo 8, 1968, USA
First spacecraft to orbit another planet: Mariner 9, Nov 1971, USA
First mission beyond the inner solar system: Pioneer 10, 1973, USA
First flyby of Jupiter: Pioneer 10, 1973, USA
There are many others.
Now let's examine some of the Soviet space firsts:
First soft lander on the Moon: 3 Feb 1966, Luna 9, USSR, a success by any definition, sent back pictures, operated for 3 days on lunar surface
compared to:, Surveyor 1, first USA soft lander, landed 14 July 1966, operated for nearly 6 months on the lunar surface
First soft lander on Mars: Mars 3, Dec 1971, USSR, operated for 14.5 seconds on the surface, compared to Viking 1, first USA Mars lander, July 1976, operated for 6 years on the surface.

So the story that the USSR was the clear leader in early space exploration is clearly false. Both nations had impressive 'firsts', anyone who doesn't acknowledge the accomplishments of both has poor knowledge of the subject.

Re:Flying to the moon might turn out to be easier. by ImprovOmega · 2014-02-01 03:20 · Score: 1

Islam. Though technically they allow peace with another religion as long as the people practicing it wholly submit to their Muslim overlords and pay a tax for the privilege of existing.

But... by WillyWanker · 2014-02-01 03:26 · Score: 1

Is the moon kosher???

Re: Flying to the moon might turn out to be easier by Anonymous Coward · 2014-02-01 03:50 · Score: 0

Idiot there is no heaven in the Old Testament. That's not part of the Jewish religion!!

A colony? by drwho · 2014-02-01 05:01 · Score: 1

This would be really great, the first step towards an Israeli colony on the moon. This ought to give them enough room, without being shoulder-to-shoulder with hostile neighbors.

Will they plant a flag... by GameboyRMH · 2014-02-01 07:29 · Score: 1

...or erect expandable walls around the landing site?

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Re:Flying to the moon might turn out to be easier. by TangoMargarine · 2014-02-03 04:16 · Score: 1

Citation very much needed. Are you talking about the conquest of Canaan? Maybe in that specific context, but definitely not "forbidding any peace," as they settled in afterward and were in fact discouraged from allying themselves with other nations, which would tend to push them towards a more defensive stance I would imagine.

As far as I am aware, salvation in Christianity has NEVER been dependent on killing anyone, even in the Old Testament.

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Re:Flying to the moon might turn out to be easier. by TangoMargarine · 2014-02-03 04:17 · Score: 1

(Okay, yes, it wasn't actually Christianity in the Old Testament; it was Judaism. You know what I mean.)

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Israeli Group To Attempt Moon Landing

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