SpaceIL scientists set to launch Beresheet, Israel's first probe bound for the moon

It is led by SpaceIL, a non-governmental organisation, but Israel's state-owned Israel Aerospace Industries is a partner.

If successful, the mission will make Israel the fourth country to reach the moon after Russia, the United States and China.

SpaceX are making a live feed of the launch available on its website.

“It’s going to be on the moon forever,” Yonatan Weintraub, SpaceIL's co-founder, told The Guardian.

The probe is one of the smallest ever to be launched, measuring 1.5 metres by 2 metres and weighing just 600 kg.

Costing $100 million (£76.6 million), it also describes itself as the lowest-costing moon mission in history.