AI, 4G and hopping rovers: The technology powering the latest rush of Moon landing attempts

Two American companies are preparing to land their vehicles on the Moon in early March, vying to become the next privately led missions to successfully touch down on the lunar surface.

The first attempt is scheduled for March 2, at 12.34pm UAE time, by Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost Mission 1, which is set to deliver scientific instruments that will analyse lunar regolith, or soil, and a basaltic plain on the Moon called Mare Crisium.

Days later, on March 6, Intuitive Machines' IM-2 Athena lander will target the lunar south pole, carrying technologies such as Nokia’s 4G cellular network system that will test high-speed data transfer and reliable connectivity for robotic and future human missions.

Amar Vora, head of space at consultancy company Serco Middle East, told The National that setting up a 4D network on the Moon is crucial to building a permanent human base on the surface.

“It enables high-speed data transfer, near real-time remote operations and continuous coverage for landers and astronauts, even in rugged terrain,” he said.

“This network is not just about better communications - it lays the foundation for a future lunar economy, supporting everything from exploration to eventual industrial activities, such as mining, manufacturing and beyond.”

Improving communication on the Moon

During the Apollo missions, communication relied on analogue radio technology, which had limitations such as static and signal degradation. Astronauts and mission control often faced interruptions and delays, making real-time updates and co-ordination difficult, particularly during critical moments like the Moon landing.

One of the most notable “loss of signal” moments occurred during the Apollo 13 mission in 1970. After an oxygen tank exploded aboard the spacecraft, Nasa temporarily lost telemetry data from the crew, leading to a period of uncertainty before contact was re-established. While the communication loss was brief, it added to the tension of the life-threatening situation.

Sarath Raj, project director of the Satellite Ground Station at Amity University Dubai, said that the network would benefit Nasa’s Artemis, a programme that aims to return humans to the Moon.

“Even more profound is that this lunar network allows for deep space explorations," he said. "Much in the same way the internet transformed Earth’s industries, a reliable network on the Moon opens doors for scientific research, resources and revolutionary business opportunities away from the planet."

The Athena lander will also deploy the “hopping” Grace rover, which will explore water ice in permanently shadowed craters.

Called Micro-Nova, the small robotic vehicle will explore hard-to-reach areas on the Moon. Instead of using wheels, it has been designed to "hop" across the lunar surface so that it can travel rough terrain.

Mr Vora said it was important to search for resources on the Moon that astronauts can use instead of relying entirely on supplies transported from Earth, which adds significant cost and logistical challenges to space missions.

“The real game-changer is in-situ resource utilisation - extracting water for fuel and using lunar regolith for construction could drastically reduce reliance on Earth, making a permanent, sustainable presence on the Moon viable,” he said.

Using AI to help land on the Moon

Intuitive Machines managed to land on the Moon when it placed its IM-1 Odysseus lander on the surface last year.

Several unsuccessful attempts by other companies were made prior to this, including by Israel's SpaceIL and Israel Aerospace Industries in 2019, Japan’s ispace in 2023 and US-based Astrobotic last year.

Landing on the Moon is not easy due to the lack of an atmosphere, unpredictable surface conditions and communication delays.

Both Firefly Aerospace and Intuitive Machines are relying on AI-powered systems capable of identifying safe landing sites and adjusting trajectories autonomously to safely touch down on the surface.

The Blue Ghost lander is equipped with hazard detection sensors and real-time mapping technology, allowing it to select a secure landing site on arrival.

“AI-powered navigation and precision landing systems are game-changers for lunar missions,” said Mr Vora.

“These technologies enable landers to adjust and adapt mid-descent, avoiding obstacles and can ensure pinpoint accuracy. Compared to past attempts, these technologies significantly reduce risk, improving mission success rates.”

Both of these companies are contracted by Nasa as part of the agency’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services programme, which hires companies to send science and technology payloads to the lunar surface.

A third landing attempt will be made by the Japanese company ispace in April, with its Hakuto-R Mission 2 vehicle.

Its maiden attempt in 2023 failed when a software glitch caused it to crash on the surface.

It was carrying international payloads, including the UAE’s first rover, Rashid.

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Fireball

Moscow claimed it hit the largest military fuel storage facility in Ukraine, triggering a huge fireball at the site.

A plume of black smoke rose from a fuel storage facility in the village of Kalynivka outside Kyiv on Friday after Russia said it had destroyed the military site with Kalibr cruise missiles.

"On the evening of March 24, Kalibr high-precision sea-based cruise missiles attacked a fuel base in the village of Kalynivka near Kyiv," the Russian defence ministry said in a statement.

Ukraine confirmed the strike, saying the village some 40 kilometres south-west of Kyiv was targeted.

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Favourite vegetable: “I really like the taste of the beetroot, the potatoes and the eggplant we are producing.”

Holiday destination: “I like Paris very much, it’s a city very close to my heart.”

Book: “Das Kapital, by Karl Marx. I am not a communist, but there are a lot of lessons for the capitalist system, if you let it get out of control, and humanity.”

Musician: “I like very much Fairuz, the Lebanese singer, and the other is Umm Kulthum. Fairuz is for listening to in the morning, Umm Kulthum for the night.”

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Analysis

Maros Sefcovic is juggling multiple international trade agreement files, but his message was clear when he spoke to The National on Wednesday.

The EU-UAE bilateral trade deal will be finalised soon, he said. It is in everyone’s interests to do so. Both sides want to move quickly and are in alignment. He said the UAE is a very important partner for the EU. It’s full speed ahead - and with some lofty ambitions - on the road to a free trade agreement.

We also talked about US-EU tariffs. He answered that both sides need to talk more and more often, but he is prepared to defend Europe's position and said diplomacy should be a guiding principle through the current moment.

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Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.

Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.

Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.

Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.

Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.

What are the guidelines?

Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.

Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.

Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.

Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.

Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.

Source: American Paediatric Association

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Fixtures

Tuesday - 5.15pm: Team Lebanon v Alger Corsaires; 8.30pm: Abu Dhabi Storms v Pharaohs

Wednesday - 5.15pm: Pharaohs v Carthage Eagles; 8.30pm: Alger Corsaires v Abu Dhabi Storms

Thursday - 4.30pm: Team Lebanon v Pharaohs; 7.30pm: Abu Dhabi Storms v Carthage Eagles

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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EProcessor%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Apple%20M2%2C%208-core%20CPU%2C%20up%20to%2010-core%20CPU%2C%2016-core%20Neural%20Engine%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDisplay%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2013.6-inch%20Liquid%20Retina%2C%202560%20x%201664%2C%20224ppi%2C%20500%20nits%2C%20True%20Tone%2C%20wide%20colour%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EMemory%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%208%2F16%2F24GB%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStorage%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20256%2F512GB%20%2F%201%2F2TB%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EI%2FO%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Thunderbolt%203%20(2)%2C%203.5mm%20audio%2C%20Touch%20ID%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EConnectivity%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Wi-Fi%206%2C%20Bluetooth%205.0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EBattery%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2052.6Wh%20lithium-polymer%2C%20up%20to%2018%20hours%2C%20MagSafe%20charging%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECamera%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%201080p%20FaceTime%20HD%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EVideo%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Support%20for%20Apple%20ProRes%2C%20HDR%20with%20Dolby%20Vision%2C%20HDR10%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EAudio%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204-speaker%20system%2C%20wide%20stereo%2C%20support%20for%20Dolby%20Atmos%2C%20Spatial%20Audio%20and%20dynamic%20head%20tracking%20(with%20AirPods)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EColours%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Silver%2C%20space%20grey%2C%20starlight%2C%20midnight%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EIn%20the%20box%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20MacBook%20Air%2C%2030W%20or%2035W%20dual-port%20power%20adapter%2C%20USB-C-to-MagSafe%20cable%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20From%20Dh4%2C999%3C%2Fp%3E%0A

SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20APPLE%20M3%20MACBOOK%20AIR%20(13%22)

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While you're here

Bryant Harris: What Joe Biden did during his first week as US President

Kareem Shaheen: Omar Alghabra outshines the racists who malign him

Kareem Shaheen: Canada is failing those who bear its greatest Covid-19 burdens

Killing of Qassem Suleimani

National Editorial: Suleimani has been killed, now we must de-escalate

Mina Al Oraibi: Air strike casts a long shadow over the decade ahead

Jack Moore: Why the assassination is such a monumental gamble

Damien McElroy: A CEO tasked with spreading Iran's influence

Hussein Ibish: Trump's order on solid constitutional ground

Simon Waldman: Cautious Israel keeping a low profile

Our commentary on Brexit

Alistair Burt: Despite Brexit, Britain can remain a world power
Sam Williams: Departure is influenced by its sense of place

Killing of Qassem Suleimani

Mina Al Oraibi: Air strike casts a long shadow over the decade ahead

Jack Moore: Why the assassination is such a monumental gamble

Matthew Levitt: Iran retains its ability to launch terror attacks

Damien McElroy: A CEO tasked with spreading Iran's influence

Hussein Ibish: Trump's order on solid constitutional ground

Simon Waldman: Cautious Israel keeping a low profile

School uniforms report

Dh1,000 for a four-year-old: private schools' uniform policy leaves families out of pocket

KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI

National Editorial: Suleimani has been killed, now we must de-escalate

Mina Al Oraibi: Air strike casts a long shadow over the decade ahead

Jack Moore: Why the assassination is such a monumental gamble

Matthew Levitt: Iran retains its ability to launch terror attacks

Damien McElroy: A CEO tasked with spreading Iran's influence

Hussein Ibish: Trump's order on solid constitutional ground

Simon Waldman: Cautious Israel keeping a low profile

More from Firas Maksad

The tragedy that befell the Druze in Syria is a stark reminder of their solo battle for survival

Assad’s backers might have won him the war – but now they need US help

The illusion of a US-Russia grand bargain over Syria and Ukraine

THE SPECS

Engine: 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder

Transmission: Constant Variable (CVT)

Power: 141bhp

Torque: 250Nm

Price: Dh64,500

On sale: Now

LILO & STITCH

Starring: Sydney Elizebeth Agudong, Maia Kealoha, Chris Sanders

Director: Dean Fleischer Camp

Rating: 4.5/5

Key facilities

Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
Premier League-standard football pitch
400m Olympic running track
NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
600-seat auditorium
Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
Specialist robotics and science laboratories
AR and VR-enabled learning centres
Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills

Six large-scale objects on show

Concrete wall and windows from the now demolished Robin Hood Gardens housing estate in Poplar
The 17^th Century Agra Colonnade, from the bathhouse of the fort of Agra in India
A stagecloth for The Ballet Russes that is 10m high – the largest Picasso in the world
Frank Lloyd Wright’s 1930s Kaufmann Office
A full-scale Frankfurt Kitchen designed by Margarete Schütte-Lihotzky, which transformed kitchen design in the 20th century
Torrijos Palace dome

Tomorrow 2021

Tomorrow 2021: Abu Dhabi business leaders predict a stronger 2019

The UAE explained: What are the new plans for the economy and why do we need them?

Abu Dhabi's plans to liberalise the economy are progressing fast - but how are other countries planning for post-oil?

UAE-wide visa changes: Expats imagine life after work in the UAE

Is the UAE's new five-year visa a game changer for expat retirement?

Analysis

Members of Syria's Alawite minority community face threat in their heartland after one of the deadliest days in country’s recent history. Read more