ABU DHABI // A UAE satellite has captured images of the Moon to mark the 47th anniversary of the day humans set foot on the celestial body.
The Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre commemorated the Apollo 11 mission to put Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin on the lunar surface by releasing DubaiSat-2 images of the Moon during its waxing crescent phase.
Usually aimed towards Earth, the high-resolution imaging satellite – the centre’s second – was pointed in the opposite direction to capture the still of the Moon.
It was important to highlight one the greatest achievements in the history of mankind, said Salem Al Marri, assistant director-general of scientific and technology affairs at the centre.
“It’s a pinnacle of engineering development and exploration ... we take inspiration from it,” he said.
One of the goals of sharing the image was to inspire the young to take up careers in space sciences.
“For us to reach our ambitious goals, such as sending a probe to Mars, we need to inspire those in universities and schools to work in this field,” he said.
Recalling a meeting held in 1975 between Sheikh Zayed and astronauts from Apollo 15, the fourth mission to land on the Moon, Mr Al Marri said that sharing the lunar image reflected the Founding Father’s interest in space exploration.
No human has left orbit since the last Apollo mission in 1972.
“I’d like to see that change and I dream in my lifetime we see people on Mars and other celestial bodies, ”said Mr Al Marri.
tsubaihi@thenational.ae
