ARCHIVE

The Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) announced that the historic Moon mission would launch on Wednesday (November 30) at 12:39pm UAE time. The new date and times are "subject to change depending on weather and other conditions," ispace added. "We are pleased to have finished the first phase of the Mission 1 with the final preparations before launch completed," said Takeshi Hakamada, founder and CEO of ispace. The mission will take off from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The spacecraft will approach the Moon on a low-energy path after launch. The rover will land in April 2024, five months after launch. UAE will become the fourth Moon lander if the mission succeeds. The Rashid Rover is set to land in Mare Frigoris' Atlas Crater on the southeastern outer edge of Mare Frigoris. A 'mare' is a flat, dark plain on the lunar surface. The site is located on the Moon's far north side and has not been explored previously. The 10kg Rashid Rover, named after the late Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, former Ruler of Dubai, will research the Moon's plasma and answer long-standing issues concerning lunar dust, mobility on the surface, and particle interactions. Two high-resolution cameras—microscopic and thermal—will transfer data and photos to Earth. The Rashid Rover underwent extensive internal and external reviews over four months. Its systems and subsystems were carefully tested at various stages — from the launch and the cruise to the planned descent. BKM/ 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