The UAE aims to land its Rashid rover on the Moon by hitching a ride with a Japanese mission next year.
The Arab world's first Moon mission was announced in 2020, with an initial launch date of 2024.
Now, the Emirates has unveiled a partnership to bring its lunar ambitions forward by two years.
A deal with Japan's iSpace means the rover will be loaded on board its lander, which will be launched into space aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Kennedy Space Centre in Florida.
We selected iSpace because of their capabilities and the strong team they have. We're honoured to be part of their first mission
The mission was announced by the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre during a media briefing in Dubai on Wednesday.
"This collaboration focuses on delivering the Rashid rover on the lunar surface by the fourth quarter 2022," said Adnan Al Rais, Mars 2117 programme director.
Under the agreement, iSpace will also provide wired communication and power during the cruise phase and wireless communication on the lunar surface.
The Japanese robotic lander is called Hakuto-Reboot, or Hakuto-R, and is the first to be built by iSpace.
For now, the private Japanese company is focusing on unmanned missions, but the plan is to send human beings back to the Moon – and eventually have 1,000 people living there.
"We selected iSpace because of their capabilities and the strong team they have. We're honoured to be part of their first mission to the surface of the Moon," Mr Al Rais said.
The UAE aims to land the rover on an unexplored region of the Moon.
If the Rashid rover lands successfully next year, it will carry out a number of scientific objectives.
They include studying the properties of lunar soil, the petrography and geology of the Moon, dust movement and studying the lunar surface plasma condition and photoelectron sheath.
Joining the elite lunar club
However, before the scientific exploration can begin, there is the task of landing on the surface.
Only China, the US and former Soviet Union have successfully landed on the Moon.
India's attempt to land its Vikram lunar lander failed in 2019 because of a last-minute glitch.
If successful, Japan and the UAE would together become the fourth to land on the lunar surface.
iSpace was founded in 2010. Its second moon landing attempt is planned for 2023.
Takeshi Hakamada, founder and chief executive of iSpace, said: "iSpace is providing three major services – one is a delivery service, second is partnership and third is lunar data service.
“We are providing payload service to Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre to carry the Rashid rover by our mission one.”
Hakuto-R's initial launch, which was initially scheduled for this year, has been delayed because of unspecified technical issues.
'Made in the UAE'
While iSpace would provide delivery services, the rover would be built entirely by Emirati engineers at MBRSC.
The new launch date means a tighter deadline for them to complete the development of the Rashid rover.
Dr Hamad Al Marzooqi, project manager of the Emirates Lunar Mission, said they are on schedule despite the new date.
“At the current stage, we are building a prototype that will resemble the flight model. The prototype will be tested,” he said.
“In the summer, we’ll go through different qualification testing through a simulated launch on lunar surface environments."
Once the testing of the prototype satisfies the team, the development of the Rashid rover would begin.
1,000 images from lunar surface
If it manages to land on the surface of the Moon, the rover will spend one full lunar day – equivalent to 29.5 Earth days – carrying out its scientific objectives.
It would send back more than 1,000 images of the lunar surface and help scientists gain newer insights on lunar soil and other properties of the surface.
“We are going to study the surface soil and the thermal properties of the lunar surface,” said Dr Al Marzooqi.
“There is a phenomenon that is created on the lunar surface due to the continuous bombardment of solar wind and cosmic rays. It's called the photoelectron sheath, which would be studied for the first time by the Rashid rover.”
Four-wheel drive
A landing site on the Moon is expected to be announced soon.
It would land on the near side of the Moon, which offers a smoother surface with less craters.
Rashid will be able to travel at a maximum speed of 10 centimetres per second.
The rover, equipped with four wheels, can climb over an obstacle at a maximum height of 10 centimetres and descend down on slope of 20 degrees.
It will have two high-resolution optical imagers for photos – the Cam-1 and Cam-2.
The thermal imager, Cam-T, is the scientific camera, which can analyse different properties on the moon using the particle's thermal energy.
The Langmuir Probes on the rover will analyse the lunar surface charge and electric fields.
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Leap of Faith
Michael J Mazarr
Public Affairs
Dh67
RESULTS
5pm Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 (Dirt) 1,400m
Winner AF Nashrah, Tadhg O’Shea (jockey), Ernst Oertel (trainer)
5.30pm Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 (D) 1,400m
Winner Mutaqadim, Riccardo Iacopini, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami.
6pm Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner Hameem, Jose Santiago, Abdallah Al Hammadi.
6.30pm Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner AF Almomayaz, Sandro Paiva, Ali Rashid Al Raihe.
7pm Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (D) 1,800m
Winner Dalil Al Carrere, Fernando Jara, Mohamed Daggash.
7.30pm Handicap (TB) Dh70,000 (D) 1,000m
Winner Lahmoom, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer.
8pm Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (D) 1,000m
Winner Jayide Al Boraq, Bernardo Pinheiro, Khalifa Al Neyadi.
Grand Slam Los Angeles results
Men:
56kg – Jorge Nakamura
62kg – Joao Gabriel de Sousa
69kg – Gianni Grippo
77kg – Caio Soares
85kg – Manuel Ribamar
94kg – Gustavo Batista
110kg – Erberth Santos
Women:
49kg – Mayssa Bastos
55kg – Nathalie Ribeiro
62kg – Gabrielle McComb
70kg – Thamara Silva
90kg – Gabrieli Pessanha
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
Gothia Cup 2025
4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
Juliot Vinolia’s checklist for adopting alternate-day fasting
- Don’t do it more than once in three days
- Don’t go under 700 calories on fasting days
- Ensure there is sufficient water intake, as the body can go in dehydration mode
- Ensure there is enough roughage (fibre) in the food on fasting days as well
- Do not binge on processed or fatty foods on non-fasting days
- Complement fasting with plant-based foods, fruits, vegetables, seafood. Cut out processed meats and processed carbohydrates
- Manage your sleep
- People with existing gastric or mental health issues should avoid fasting
- Do not fast for prolonged periods without supervision by a qualified expert
GOLF’S RAHMBO
- 5 wins in 22 months as pro
- Three wins in past 10 starts
- 45 pro starts worldwide: 5 wins, 17 top 5s
- Ranked 551th in world on debut, now No 4 (was No 2 earlier this year)
- 5th player in last 30 years to win 3 European Tour and 2 PGA Tour titles before age 24 (Woods, Garcia, McIlroy, Spieth)
if you go
The flights
Fly to Rome with Etihad (www.etihad.ae) or Emirates (www.emirates.com) from Dh2,480 return including taxes. The flight takes six hours. Fly from Rome to Trapani with Ryanair (www.ryanair.com) from Dh420 return including taxes. The flight takes one hour 10 minutes.
The hotels
The author recommends the following hotels for this itinerary. In Trapani, Ai Lumi (www.ailumi.it); in Marsala, Viacolvento (www.viacolventomarsala.it); and in Marsala Del Vallo, the Meliaresort Dimore Storiche (www.meliaresort.it).
The Saga Continues
Wu-Tang Clan
(36 Chambers / Entertainment One)
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
FIGHT CARD
Bantamweight Hamza Bougamza (MAR) v Jalal Al Daaja (JOR)
Catchweight 67kg Mohamed El Mesbahi (MAR) v Fouad Mesdari (ALG)
Lighweight Abdullah Mohammed Ali (UAE) v Abdelhak Amhidra (MAR)
Catchweight 73kg Mostafa Ibrahim Radi (PAL) v Yazid Chouchane (ALG)
Middleweight Yousri Belgaroui (TUN) v Badreddine Diani (MAR)
Catchweight 78kg Rashed Dawood (UAE) v Adnan Bushashy (ALG)
Middleweight Sallaheddine Dekhissi (MAR) v Abdel Emam (EGY)
Catchweight 65kg Rachid Hazoume (MAR) v Yanis Ghemmouri (ALG)
Lighweight Mohammed Yahya (UAE) v Azouz Anwar (EGY)
Catchweight 79kg Omar Hussein (PAL) v Souhil Tahiri (ALG)
Middleweight Tarek Suleiman (SYR) v Laid Zerhouni (ALG)
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
WHAT%20MACRO%20FACTORS%20ARE%20IMPACTING%20META%20TECH%20MARKETS%3F
%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Looming%20global%20slowdown%20and%20recession%20in%20key%20economies%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Russia-Ukraine%20war%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Interest%20rate%20hikes%20and%20the%20rising%20cost%20of%20debt%20servicing%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Oil%20price%20volatility%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Persisting%20inflationary%20pressures%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Exchange%20rate%20fluctuations%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Shortage%20of%20labour%2Fskills%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20A%20resurgence%20of%20Covid%3F%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
Essentials
The flights
Emirates flies direct from Dubai to Seattle from Dh6,755 return in economy and Dh24,775 in business class.
The cruise
UnCruise Adventures offers a variety of small-ship cruises in Alaska and around the world. A 14-day Alaska’s Inside Passage and San Juans Cruise from Seattle to Juneau or reverse costs from $4,695 (Dh17,246), including accommodation, food and most activities. Trips in 2019 start in April and run until September.
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