Orthodox Space Researcher: 'Sending Astronauts to the Moon Again Is Not Feasible'

Every so often, we hear about further advancements in the field of space exploration. Sometimes it's in spacecraft launches (like the 'Beresheet' spacecraft), sometimes groundbreaking NASA research, and sometimes it's breakthrough news like the recent announcement that Americans are developing a new spacecraft capable of carrying up to seven astronauts in a single module.

If space seems as distant to you as the moon is to Earth, it turns out there are those for whom this field is a dedicated hobby. Yossi Zekuta is one of them, delving deep into the subject and staying updated on every little detail.

(Photo: shutterstock)

"I started my interest in space exploration at the age of five," says Zekuta. "The year was 1969, and the world was thrilled with the news of two American astronauts landing on the moon."

Zekuta recalls how he walked home from synagogue with his father, who told him about the historic achievement. "My father said, 'Do you know? While we walk on the sidewalk, there are people walking on the moon.' It amazed me, and I remember rushing home, straight to the balcony, spending hours gazing at the moon, trying to see the two men walking on it."

This interest that sparked in him as a young child continued to accompany him in later years. "We lived in Tel Aviv," he recalls, "and our balcony had a great view that allowed us to see all the planes flying over our house. I remember sitting there, watching the planes, constantly pondering and making calculations.

"Later, I studied in 'Talmud Torah' of the 'Chinuch Atzmai.' They didn't teach much science there, and in my very Orthodox home, I didn't find many books on the subject. But I gathered information from newspaper clippings and any available source. I was very interested, and over the years I gained more and more knowledge on the subject."

The Talmud Precedes NASA by Thousands of Years

Zekuta never thought that his extensive knowledge might interest anyone but himself, until one day when his young daughter, then in the fourth grade, came home with an assignment from her science teacher to choose a topic and prepare a project. "I chose the subject of moon landings with my daughter, and within a day I organized a 20-page project for her. She submitted it and told the teacher that I had helped her. The teacher was very impressed and asked if I could come and give a lecture on the topic. I readily agreed, and delivered a lecture on astronaut landings on the moon. The girls were captivated, and the teacher shared this with another teacher, leading to more invitations to schools, camps, seminars, and various forums."

What makes this topic so fascinating and engaging for people of all ages and backgrounds?

"In my lectures, I cover many topics related to space, but one thing I never forget to emphasize—and what I believe captivates everyone—is the incredible connection between Judaism and the sources in the Talmud that tell us about space and the celestial bodies, and what modern science concludes today. I rely heavily on articles and lectures by Rabbi Zamir Cohen. He writes truly amazing things, and when I quote him, people are genuinely astonished. It's possible to see various findings that researchers have worked on discovering for years, yet Torah commentators mentioned them long before they were known worldwide."

Zekuta cites as an example the calculation of the new moon. "In the Talmud, Tractate Rosh Hashanah mentions that Rabban Gamliel calculated the new moon down to thousandths of a second, also noting his numerical conclusion. The astounding fact is that NASA reached identical conclusions using extremely expensive equipment and enormous financial investments, 2000 years after him, while he accomplished it simply from the sacred writings."

Apart from the spiritual aspect, the story of the moon landing is quite well-known, so what's new about it?

"Oh, quite a lot," replies Zekuta. "Technically, most people I converse with know about moon landings, some are even vaguely aware of how they were conducted, but when I give a lecture detailing every technicality, almost no one leaves without saying they learned something new. Most of the population is familiar with the overall picture, but not everyone knows how complex the moon landings were, how intricate and dangerous they were. Not everyone knows how many people died during these attempts."

One of the gravest stories, according to him, during a space flight, was the incident of three astronauts inside the command module of 'Apollo 1,' who burned before even taking off. In another case, astronauts on 'Apollo 13' managed to travel to the moon, but as they were very close, nearly reaching it, the spacecraft suddenly exploded, and they quickly discovered they had only 15 minutes of oxygen left and very little power, while being two and a half days and 320,000 kilometers away from Earth. "There was no plausible chance of survival," he recounts, "but they didn't lose their composure." The astronauts contacted the incredible support system at the control center and quickly improvised a solution, bringing the astronauts back safely to Earth. Although they didn't land on the moon, at least their lives were spared."

He also mentions the story of the space shuttle Challenger, which exploded just 73 seconds after launch. On that shuttle was the Jewish astronaut Judith Resnik, who had previously flown to space and returned safely, but this time met a different fate. "The Challenger story is famous not due to Resnik, but for another reason," Zekuta notes. "During that time, NASA and the U.S. felt they were sending so many people to space, and it became safe, so why not take a civilian along? After intensive screenings, a teacher eager to join and teach a lesson from space was found. She was meant to be the first civilian in space, but it ended tragically 73 seconds after launch."

There's also the story of Ilan Ramon, the first Israeli to fly to the moon. "Many are familiar with Ramon's story," Zekuta states, "for it was an event we all talked about roughly 17 years ago. Ramon and his fellow astronauts safely launched into space and even stayed there for 16 days, but upon their return to Earth, the mission ended in a severe disaster where everyone perished. Not everyone knows, but later it was discovered that Ramon's story was fully spelled out in the Torah portion of 'Chayei Sarah,' with skips of letters, including his name. It's chilling and awe-inspiring."

Apart from sending Ramon to the moon, there was another recent Israeli achievement—a launch of the 'Beresheet' spacecraft, or was it not really an achievement?

Zekuta clarifies: "'Beresheet' was not a manned spacecraft, and it didn’t fulfill its mission as hoped, as it didn't land on the moon. Nonetheless, its launch is not a story of failure but of success. Sending a spacecraft to the moon is very complex, and entering lunar orbit is even more complicated, as is performing an orbit. 'Beresheet' accomplished all of this successfully. Its only issue arose when it attempted to land on the moon, where its engine shut down during landing, resulting in a crash landing instead of a gentle one. But reaching the moon itself is already a tremendous achievement. Although Americans and Russians reached a similar achievement back in the ’60s, aside from them and China, no country has since succeeded in performing a soft landing on the moon. We were about to be the fourth country to do so, undoubtedly advancing us significantly in the field."

(Photo: shutterstock)

The Heavens Are Hashem’s

How do you explain that despite the many years since the first moon landing, flights there remain complicated and are rarely conducted?

"That's true," agrees Zekuta. "Since the first time mankind landed on the moon, only five other manned landings have been made. To date, there have been only six astronaut flights landing on the moon, with two astronauts in each, totaling just twelve humans. This small number is certainly puzzling, especially considering NASA had three more ready landing spacecraft and crews prepared and trained. We're talking about investments of hundreds of millions of dollars, yet the decision was made at that point not to send more astronauts to the moon. This decision stemmed from the realization that launches cost a lot of money, and there’s not much to find on the moon except dust and rocks."

So what was done with the remaining spacecraft?

"NASA used one spacecraft to orbit the Earth and reach the space station. This spacecraft was called 'Skylab,' and astronauts used it for several weeks. Another was used for the 'Apollo-Soyuz' project, where the U.S. and Russia agreed on a unique cooperative mission to meet their spacecraft in space, using the American 'Apollo' and Russian 'Soyuz.'

"The third spacecraft is on display at the NASA museum. Visitors can see the massive rocket in its full, real size, at 111 meters tall. Many visit and take photos with this giant rocket."

And yet, it is still unclear - relative to over 50 years of space exploration, there doesn’t seem to be significant progress.

"Perhaps the progress so far isn't significant, but there is progress, not in additional physical moon landings, but for example, in the establishment of an international space station orbiting the Earth continuously. There are always six astronauts on board, so there's never a time when the space is completely unoccupied."

Zekuta describes this unique space station: "It is located 400 meters above the Earth’s surface, and it can often be seen crossing the sky. Those interested can easily get information to know where it's located at any moment and even watch it in reality. This station now serves as the base for numerous research projects conducted in its managed laboratories. They examine possibilities like producing drugs under zero-gravity conditions, understanding what happens to materials under such conditions. Many studies are conducted there concerning earthquakes, aiming to predict them beforehand, as well as tsunami forecasts before they occur. Natural disasters and storms are also anticipated using the space station. Already today, it offers many beneficial studies for humanity, and there is great hope it will help us even further in the future."

Zekuta notes there’s also an indirect benefit from sending astronauts to space. "The very act of sending astronauts led to the development of exciting technologies that greatly assist our lives," he clarifies. "For instance, developing various medicines, advancements in optics, dried foods, and more—all due to the need to provide suitable living conditions for astronauts. Although these were things bound to reach us sooner or later, space flights accelerated their development."

"On the other hand," he emphasizes, "regarding moon flights, despite feeling we've advanced, it's clear that over the years, the understanding grew clearer that 'the heavens are the heavens of Hashem, but the earth He gave to the children of man.' Hashem proved to us tangibly—look, I've allowed you to reach the moon, and what came of it?"

Is it likely that lunar flights will be resumed soon?

"There is talk of sending astronauts to the moon in 2024, but I don’t believe it will happen. In my estimation, it will quickly become apparent that it’s a massive waste of money without real benefit. The idea of establishing colonies on the moon was long abandoned, and the only thing discovered worth bringing back is a large quantity of helium-3 gas, which Earth's amounts are scarce whereas it exists in abundance there. However, it's not economically viable because just sending astronauts there costs billions. There's also the proposition of using the moon as a springboard for landing humans on Mars. Even here, it seems unnecessary. Robots and spacecraft have already been sent to Mars, so sending humans to this distant planet won't likely unveil groundbreaking discoveries. Also, we can’t forget that traveling to Mars is very dangerous. Whereas a trip to the moon takes three days each way, a Mars mission lasts about two and a half years, without shortening possibilities, making it a much more complex situation. I don't believe it will occur soon."