Moon’s far side could unlock secrets of its past as UAE prepares for landing attempt

Rashid 2 rover has been shipped to US for next year's lunar mission

Engineers with the Rashid 2 rover at a clean room inside the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre. Photo: Dubai Media Office

The UAE’s next lunar mission will target the far side of the Moon, which regional scientists say holds clues as to how it evolved billions of years ago.

The hemisphere, permanently facing away from Earth, has remained largely untouched since the Moon was first formed.

Unlike the near side, with its dark volcanic plains, the far side retains its rugged, heavily cratered surface, geological features that could reveal how the Moon’s crust developed and why its two halves are so different.

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“The near side experienced massive volcanic flooding three to four billion years ago that covered about a third of its surface with dark basaltic lava plains called maria,” Dr Dimitra Atri, principal investigator at NYU Abu Dhabi’s space exploration laboratory, told The National.

“The far side has almost no maria, only about 1 per cent of its surface is volcanic. This means the far side’s ancient, heavily cratered highland crust remains largely intact, preserving a record of the Moon’s first billion years that’s been erased on the near side.

“The main problem that we need to address is why volcanism was so asymmetric.”

The Rashid 2 rover in a clean room at the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre. Photo: Dubai Media Office

What challenges lie ahead?

Studying the far side could help scientists build a clearer picture of the Moon’s early impact history and composition.

“Far-side highland samples reveal the original composition of the lunar crust after the magma ocean crystallised,” said Dr Atri.

“The South Pole–Aitken basin, the Moon’s largest and oldest visible impact structure, has exposed deeper crustal layers. While it was originally thought to have excavated mantle material, current spectroscopic data suggests it primarily exposed lower crustal rocks.”

Only the US, China, India, Japan, Russia and two private companies have landed on the near side of the Moon because of the challenging engineering required.

Touching down on the far side is even more difficult, with only China having accomplished the feat with its Chang'e-4 mission in 2019 and Chang'e-6 in 2024.

Chang’e-6 made history by becoming the first to return samples from the Moon’s far side. It landed in the Apollo Basin within the South Pole–Aitken region and brought about 2kg of lunar material back to Earth.

Analysis has revealed the far side’s crust could have formed under different thermal conditions from the near side, which explains why one hemisphere is smooth and dark, while the other is heavily cratered and bright.

China's Chang'e-6 vehicle photographed on the far side of the Moon in 2024. AFP / CNSA

What is the target?

The Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) plans to send its Rashid 2 rover to the far side in 2026, in what will be the Arab world’s first attempt to explore the Moon’s hidden face.

The rover will travel aboard Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost 2 lander, with a touchdown site yet to be announced.

It will be the UAE’s second lunar mission, following the first Rashid rover that was lost when Japan’s Hakuto-R Mission 1 lander crashed in April 2023.

The new rover has been designed to complete the same scientific objectives in 10 days, including studying lunar soil, testing new materials and capturing high-resolution imagery of the surface.

If successful, the Rashid 2 mission will add to the UAE’s growing list of space achievements, which include the Hope Probe mission to Mars and a six-month mission completed by Dr Sultan Al Neyadi on the International Space Station in 2023.

“The completion of Rashid Rover 2 represents a decisive step in advancing the UAE’s ambitions for lunar exploration," said Salem Humaid Al Marri, director general of MBRSC.

"With a mission set for the far side of the Moon, we are entering a domain few have explored, driven by the pursuit of new science and the desire to push the limits of what is possible.

"The progress we have made so far reflects the UAE’s belief in advancing space science through collaboration, knowledge-sharing and the development of technologies that serve the broader progress of humanity.”

The UAE Space Agency is also working on the Emirates mission to the Asteroid Belt, which involves the MBR Explorer taking off in 2028 to explore seven asteroids and attempt a landing on one.