In an update that has beaming with pride, UAE’s moon rover named Rashid has cleared all tests and is one step closer to the moon. Launch preparations are complete – a milestone in itself – and blast off is expected to take place tomorrow, Wednesday, November 30, at 12.39pm UAE time.
Earlier, the lunar landing was expected to take place between November 9-15. However, there has been a slight delay. Read on to find out more about this historic mission.
The new launch date of the first Emirati mission to the surface of the Moon is set on 30 November at 12:39 pm (UAE time) from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, United States. This date is subject to change depending on the weather status or other conditions.
#UAEtotheMoon pic.twitter.com/wjf60TmpLQ— MBR Space Centre (@MBRSpaceCentre) November 24, 2022
UAE’s First Moon Mission
The UAE’s rover ‘Rashid’ is named after former Ruler of Dubai, the late Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum. If the mission is successful, it would make the UAE only the fourth country in the world to land on the moon.
Rashid was sent for testing in Germany at the IABG mbH Space Centre. As of September 2022, all tests have been completed & Rashid has got the green light to move on to the next step. The lander will now be transported to the launch site in Florida, where it
As of September 2022, the final functional testing of the flight model in Germany has been completed. The lander is now being prepared for transport to its final launch site in Cape Canaveral, Florida, USA. Rashid is part of the Hakuto-R programme. It will blast off on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from the launch site ; while Japan-based ispace inc, will land the Rashid Rover on the lunar surface.
The rover is expected to land in ‘Mare Frigoris’ (the ‘Sea of Cold’) an unexplored area on the moon. Located in the far lunar north, the landing will happen on a flat, dark plain.
Rashid the rover is being sent to collect images and information that allows the UAE to:
1. Study how to create a human settlement on the lunar surface
2. Prepare for future missions to study the Red Planet, Mars
3. Help the scientific community with answers about our solar system
The Rashid Rover, the first Emirati mission to the surface of the Moon, will launch in just a few days. What will the rover study?#EmiratesLunarMission #UAEtotheMoon pic.twitter.com/CJ6QwW28s1
— MBR Space Centre (@MBRSpaceCentre) November 26, 2022
The Crown Prince of Dubai, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum congratulated the team at the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre, praising their efforts in developing the lunar rover.
He wrote: “We announce the success of the final phase of the tests for the explorer in the first Arab mission of its kind. Our next destination is the surface of the moon.”
Takeshi Hakamada, founder, representative director, and CEO of ispace said, “We are focused on each of our missions, but now that the launch window has been set for M1, we are ready for the challenge. For me, this is a milestone on the road to realising our vision, but I am already proud of our results. I look forward to watching the launch alongside all of our employees and those who have supported us.”
How To See The UAE Moon Mission?
The MBR Space Centre has given the following link – mbrsc.ae/lunar – for everyone to login and watch the space mission. They have also encouraged people to take their own videos & share:
Participate in the preparations for the first Emirati mission to the Moon's surface. Send us a video of you saying “UAE to the Moon” in your native language. The best videos will be featured on our social media channels and will be awarded exciting prizes.
#UAEtotheMoon pic.twitter.com/KCDslGQtGX— MBR Space Centre (@MBRSpaceCentre) November 27, 2022
