The Emirati explorer Rashid, which was launched in February 2019, broke records after its plans to land on the moon were announced today. It is a tremendous scientific achievement that makes the UAE the first country in the Arab world and the fourth in the world to achieve this feat.
The landing will take place at 8:40 pm Emirates time, and the explorer will land in the “Atlas Crater” area in the Mare Frigoris region, which has not been tested by any previous exploration mission.
Studying the soil and thermal properties of the topography of the moon’s surface, knowing the photoelectric effect of its surface, studying the mobility of the moon’s surface, and developing robotics techniques for exploration vehicle systems are the most prominent goals of the scientific mission that the Emirati explorer, “Rashid” seeks to achieve.
Emirati explorer Rashid lands on the moon
The images and data that the mission will provide will be of great value, as the Emirati explorer Rashid is equipped with 3D cameras, a suspension system, advanced sensor and communication systems, an exoskeleton, and solar panels to provide it with energy.
Communication with the explorer will take place for 370 minutes before landing, and 12 preparatory operations will be conducted covering scenarios of the explorer’s operations on the moon.
On Monday evening, the UAE revealed a series of new data and images of Mars’ smallest moon, “Deimos”, which were taken by the three scientific exploration devices aboard the Hope Probe, during its approach to the closest point to the moon, only about 100 kilometers away.
Live broadcast of the explorer Rashid on the surface of the moon
This data refutes one of the oldest theories indicating that “Deimos” is considered an asteroid that was attracted to the orbit of the Red Planet, and confirms that it is likely to have its origin from Mars and not an asteroid as previously assumed.
The historical value of these two events is evident in the fact that no country in the world has ever achieved two space achievements of this scientific value within about 24 hours, and in locations about 54.6 million km away, while the farthest distance reaches about 401 million km.
Finally, this new step reflects the UAE’s determination to continue innovation and exploration in the field of space, and an affirmation of the pioneering role that the UAE plays in this field. This achievement is expected to have a significant impact on the global level with regard to the development of space technology and space exploration.
