The Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) has announced the successful completion of the initial health check of the Rashid Rover, which launched on December 11th from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. Working in collaboration with the ispace ground station, the Emirates Lunar Mission (ELM) team established telemetry with the rover and conducted a two-hour operation to confirm its health. The rover is now in good condition and is set for landing after the four-month cruise phase.
His Excellency Hamad Obaid AlMansoori, Chairman of MBRSC, praised the successes of the mission so far and highlighted the UAE’s commitment to lunar exploration and the potential benefits it can bring to the world. “The vast scope of our technologies and the ambitious nature of the mission may present challenges, but when they are weighed against the potential discoveries that can benefit the world, our efforts are infinitely worthwhile,” he said.
The ELM team will continue to monitor the rover’s health status throughout its journey to the moon. The next milestones for the mission include the Cruise Phase, Arrival Phase, and Nominal Surface Operations, during which the rover will conduct continuous surface research and image capture for 10-12 days. The final phases of the mission are hibernation and decommissioning.
The Cruise Phase, which could last up to 140 days, will involve regular communication checks with the rover to ensure a stable mission. During this phase, the operators will contact the rover almost daily for 10 minutes to perform basic health checks and coordinate with the lander ground control team to ensure the battery charging status of the rover is consistent.
The Arrival Phase, also known as the Entry, Descent, and Landing phase, is the most intense part of the mission as the lander will have to land on the lunar surface based on its system’s calculations to chart a course for a specific landing spot on the moon. Once the Lander has touched down on the lunar surface, the Deployment, Commissioning and Drive-off phase will begin. Following the completion of the post-landing checkout, instrument commissioning, and initial data collection will commence.
The Nominal Surface Operations phase is the main part of the mission, during which the Rashid rover will be engaged in continuous surface research and image capture for 10-12 days. The final two phases after the lunar day, which lasts 14 earth days, are hibernation, followed by decommissioning. The rover then prepares for the lunar night, which also lasts 14 earth days. When the secondary communication is activated, all information captured is downloaded. The mission will make every effort to ensure the rover’s survival through the lunar night.
The Rashid rover, which is named after the late Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, is the first rover to be sent to the moon by an Arab country and is part of the UAE’s ambitious space program. The rover is equipped with a suite of scientific instruments and cameras that will be used to study the moon’s surface, collect data, and capture images. The mission aims to enhance the UAE’s contribution to humanity’s scientific progress and showcase the nation’s spirit of innovation and progress.
