The first privately funded mission to the Moon has crashed on the lunar surface after the apparent failure of its main engine. The Israeli spacecraft - called Beresheet - attempted a soft touch down, but suffered technical problems on its descent to the Moon's surface. The aim of the mission was to take pictures and conduct experiments. Only government space agencies from the former Soviet Union, the US and China have achieved soft lunar landings. Israel hoped to become the fourth country to do this. "We didn't make it, but we definitely tried," said project originator and major backer Morris Kahn. "I think that the achievement of getting to where we got is really tremendous, I think we can be proud," he said.

Israel To Open New International Airport near the red sea Israel was to inaugurate a new international airport Monday in its desert south meant to boost tourism to the nearby Red Sea and serve as an emergency alternative to Tel Aviv’s Ben-Gurion airport. The official ceremony was scheduled to begin at 11:30 am (0930 GMT) with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in attendance. Initially, Ramon Airport will handle only domestic flights, operated by Israeli carriers Arkia and Israir. A date has not yet been given for the start of international flights. The new airport, named after Ilan Ramon, Israel’s first astronaut who died in the crash of the space shuttle Columbia, will in future host jumbo jets from around the globe. Its website says that it will be able to initially handle up to two million passengers annually, but will be able to expand to a capacity of 4.2 million by 2030. It says that it has a 3,600-metre-long runway and apron parking space for nine “large and wid...