UAE will achieve its Moon landing dream with Rashid Rover 2, says top official

UAE will achieve its Moon landing dream with Rashid Rover 2, says top official

The team at Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) has already started working on the new lunar rover called Rashid 2 that will bring the UAE to the surface of the Moon, MBRSC director general Salem Al Marri has confirmed to Khaleej Times.

The deployment of the first Rashid Rover on the Moon on April 25 did not materialise after Hakuto-R Mission 1, the Japanese-made lunar lander, failed to accomplish a soft landing on the lunar surface.

The spacecraft built by private company ispace was few moments away from touchdown when the ground control team in Tokyo lost communication with it. "It apparently went into a free-fall towards the surface as it was running out of fuel to fire up its thrusters," ispace said.

Had Hakuto-R landed successfully, the UAE-made lunar rover that was secured inside the lander by a robotic arm would have rolled out for its science mission on the Moon's Atlas crater located on the outer edge of Mare Frigoris (Sea of Cold), a never-before explored area in the northeastern quadrant of the Moon. It was tasked to study the Moon’s surroundings for one lunar day, which is equivalent to 14.75 days on Earth. It was also equipped with sensors