The UAE has partnered with Japan once again – this time, to send a rover headed to the moon.
Lunar exploration company iSpace revealed that it will transport a rover to the moon named ‘Rashid’ this 2022, following the UAE’s vision to continue rapid space exploration in its efforts to develop the country’s technological and scientific capabilities, as per reports from Nippon.com
The UAE’s lunar rover, ‘Rashid’ will be 100% designed by Emiratis and will be built by the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Center (MBRSC). Prior to this announcement, the UAE intended to launch ‘Rashid’ into space by 2024. This is part of the UAE’s vision to build a settlement at Mars by the year 2117.
WATCH: Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid announces details on UAE’s moon mission
‘Rashid’ will remain on the moon after data collection is completed, accordiing to Hamad al-Marzooqi, the manager of the Emirates Lunar Mission.
The 2022 launch of the ‘Rashid’ lunar rover will mark a first-of-its-kind mission for iSpace. This mission will also feature Elon Musk’s SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket which will be launched from Florida.
iSpace Founder and CEO Takeshi Hakamada explains that the SpaceX rocket will deliver an iSpace lander to the moon’s orbit. The lander will propel itself to the moon’s surface and the UAE rover will then emerge from the lander and drive off to explore.
Earlier, the UAE launched Hope Probe – the first interplanetary probe which entered the Mars orbit in February and has shifted to the ‘Science orbit’ of Mars as of late March 2021.
