The UAE is testing its Moon rover Rashid in the remote desert areas of Dubai to see it operates as planned, ahead of its eagerly awaited launch later this year. All photos: Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre
The four-wheeled rover can climb over an obstacle at a maximum height of 10 centimetres and descend a 20-degree slope, at speeds of 10 cm per second.
Rashid will explore the near side of the Moon, which offers a smoother surface with fewer craters, but the terrain is still unpredictable. It will land on a site known as the Lacus Somniorum, a Latin phrase that translates to ‘Lake of Dreams’.
Japanese lander Hakuto-R, built by private company iSpace, is going to carry the Rashid rover to the lunar surface. Together, the mission will lift-off into space on SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket from Florida’s Kennedy Space Centre during a launch window that starts in October.
An image of the UAE's Rashid lunar rover's final prototype. Photo: Mbrsc
Emirati engineers building the Rashid rover. Photo: Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre
