The Rashid Rover, the first Emirati and Arab mission to land on the surface of the Moon, launched successfully on 11 December at 11.38am.
As part of the Emirates Lunar Mission is part of the new 2021 - 2031 strategy, the Rashid Rover will travel through space for around four months to land on the Moon’s Atlas Crater in April 2023.
One of the most compact rovers in the world, the rover was designed by Emirati engineers.
The mission will see the rover studying the lunar surface, including lunar soil, thermal properties of surface structures, and the lunar photoelectron sheath, which will help in technology development and the future of space exploration.
The rover will also land in areas that are yet to be explored and will generate highly valued data and images.
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai witnessed the launch from the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre, said, "Rashid Rover is part of the UAE’s ambitious space programme, which began with Mars, progressed to the Moon, and soon to Venus. Our goal is to increase our knowledge, enhance our capabilities, and leave a scientific legacy in the history of space and humanity. Reaching the Moon is a milestone in our ambitious march to progress for our nation and its people, who know no limits. And our next step is bigger and higher."
