The spacecraft carrying the UAE's Rashid Rover was expected to land on the Moon. DUBAI MEDIA OFFICE

UAE Moon mission: Team loses contact with spacecraft carrying Rashid Rover

An investigation is underway after mission control in Tokyo lost contact with the spacecraft carrying the UAE’s Rashid Rover on its attempt to land on the Moon, according to Japan’s ispace on Tuesday (April 25). According to ispace, it “cannot confirm” if the Hakuto-R Mission 1 spacecraft landed safely on the Moon. The spacecraft was expected to land on the Moon at 8:40pm (UAE time), but there was still no communication with the mission control in Tokyo some 30 minutes after the time lapsed. "At this moment, we have not been able to confirm successful landing on the lunar surface," ispace chief executive Takeshi Hakamada said in a live stream. "We have not been to confirm communication with the lander. We established communication until the end of the landing, however, now we lost communication,” Hakamada said, "We have to assume that we could not complete the landing on the lunar surface." The lander last communicated to mission control with video of the Moon’s craters at it came closer to the surface at 8:36pm. The UAE has been working since 2017 to become the first Arab country and the fourth country in the world to put its flag on the Moon, with a core team of 11 engineers building the Rashid Rover. ICA/Expat Media
For all the latest news from the UAE and the world, follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and subscribe to our YouTube page