President Sheikh Mohamed has reviewed the UAE’s mission to the Moon, which is scheduled for launch later this year.
Sheikh Mohamed met the Emirati engineers who have been developing the mission since 2017.
The Rashid rover, a 10-kilogram four-wheel robotic vehicle, will be carried to the lunar surface on a Japanese lander, Hakuto-R Mission 1.
The mission will blast off on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Florida’s Kennedy Space Centre during a launch window from October to December.
This historic project is further expanding the UAE’s contribution to the space sector
Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed
“I was pleased to meet with members of the Emirates Lunar Mission team,” said Sheikh Mohamed.
“This historic project is further expanding the UAE’s contribution to the space sector and enabling our people to harness their knowledge and skills to serve their country and humanity.”
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, said the rover will land on the lunar surface in a couple of months.
“I met the team of the UAE mission that will explore the Moon,” he said.
“The Emirati explorer Rashid will land on the Moon in the coming months.
“It carries our pride in our youth and scientists, and will carry the ambitions of our people to new horizons. It will establish a new scientific stage in the history of our country from the surface of the Moon.”
The rover will explore the far-north of the Moon's near side, an area called Mare Frigoris, a Latin phrase that translates to "Sea of Cold".
Previously, Lacus Somniorum was the primary site, which was on the north-eastern part of the Moon, but that has now been changed.
Salem Al Marri, director-general of the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre, said the mission will provide unique science data.
"Currently, we are conducting tests on the Rashid Rover in preparation for the mission, which is scheduled to launch in the fourth quarter of 2022," he said.
"The Rashid rover will land in Mare Frigoris, an unexplored area on the Moon's surface.
"This mission will make a significant contribution to the UAE’s goals for the national space programme.
"We will deliver first of its kind data, develop expert Emirati cadres and strengthen the UAE's position in the global space exploration sector through it."
If the Rashid rover lands successfully, it will carry out a number of scientific objectives.
They include studying the properties of lunar soil, the petrography and geology of the Moon, dust movement and studying the lunar surface plasma condition and photoelectron sheath.
The UAE mission relies heavily on the success of the lander, built by private company ispace inc.
It will carry the rover to the surface and provide wireless communication services, so Emirati engineers can stay in contact with it.
In April, ispace said that the development of the lander was on schedule, and that it could be shipped to the launch site in the autumn if all goes to plan.
“In January, ispace announced Q4 [the fourth quarter of 2022] as its earliest launch target with assembly and integration targeted for completion before the end of spring,” the company said on its website.
“As we enter Q2 2022, we’re pleased to announce that our development schedule is still on track with that timing.
“If all continues according to plan, we aim to begin final testing by early June, at which time, we will transport our lander from the ArianeGroup facility in Lampoldshausen (Germany) to an IABG facility (a company that tests spacecraft) in Ottobrunn near Munich, Germany, for final testing,” ispace said.
“At this pace, we plan to ship our lander to Florida by early autumn for launch preparations.”
Unresolved crisis
Russia and Ukraine have been locked in a bitter conflict since 2014, when Ukraine’s Kremlin-friendly president was ousted, Moscow annexed Crimea and then backed a separatist insurgency in the east.
Fighting between the Russia-backed rebels and Ukrainian forces has killed more than 14,000 people. In 2015, France and Germany helped broker a peace deal, known as the Minsk agreements, that ended large-scale hostilities but failed to bring a political settlement of the conflict.
The Kremlin has repeatedly accused Kiev of sabotaging the deal, and Ukrainian officials in recent weeks said that implementing it in full would hurt Ukraine.
'Lost in Space'
Creators: Matt Sazama, Burk Sharpless, Irwin Allen
Stars: Molly Parker, Toby Stephens, Maxwell Jenkins
Rating: 4/5
Know your Camel lingo
The bairaq is a competition for the best herd of 50 camels, named for the banner its winner takes home
Namoos - a word of congratulations reserved for falconry competitions, camel races and camel pageants. It best translates as 'the pride of victory' - and for competitors, it is priceless
Asayel camels - sleek, short-haired hound-like racers
Majahim - chocolate-brown camels that can grow to weigh two tonnes. They were only valued for milk until camel pageantry took off in the 1990s
Millions Street - the thoroughfare where camels are led and where white 4x4s throng throughout the festival
Squad for first two ODIs
Kohli (c), Rohit, Dhawan, Rayudu, Pandey, Dhoni (wk), Pant, Jadeja, Chahal, Kuldeep, Khaleel, Shami, Thakur, Rahul.
Where to donate in the UAE
The Emirates Charity Portal
You can donate to several registered charities through a “donation catalogue”. The use of the donation is quite specific, such as buying a fan for a poor family in Niger for Dh130.
The General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments
The site has an e-donation service accepting debit card, credit card or e-Dirham, an electronic payment tool developed by the Ministry of Finance and First Abu Dhabi Bank.
Al Noor Special Needs Centre
You can donate online or order Smiles n’ Stuff products handcrafted by Al Noor students. The centre publishes a wish list of extras needed, starting at Dh500.
Beit Al Khair Society
Beit Al Khair Society has the motto “From – and to – the UAE,” with donations going towards the neediest in the country. Its website has a list of physical donation sites, but people can also contribute money by SMS, bank transfer and through the hotline 800-22554.
Dar Al Ber Society
Dar Al Ber Society, which has charity projects in 39 countries, accept cash payments, money transfers or SMS donations. Its donation hotline is 800-79.
Dubai Cares
Dubai Cares provides several options for individuals and companies to donate, including online, through banks, at retail outlets, via phone and by purchasing Dubai Cares branded merchandise. It is currently running a campaign called Bookings 2030, which allows people to help change the future of six underprivileged children and young people.
Emirates Airline Foundation
Those who travel on Emirates have undoubtedly seen the little donation envelopes in the seat pockets. But the foundation also accepts donations online and in the form of Skywards Miles. Donated miles are used to sponsor travel for doctors, surgeons, engineers and other professionals volunteering on humanitarian missions around the world.
Emirates Red Crescent
On the Emirates Red Crescent website you can choose between 35 different purposes for your donation, such as providing food for fasters, supporting debtors and contributing to a refugee women fund. It also has a list of bank accounts for each donation type.
Gulf for Good
Gulf for Good raises funds for partner charity projects through challenges, like climbing Kilimanjaro and cycling through Thailand. This year’s projects are in partnership with Street Child Nepal, Larchfield Kids, the Foundation for African Empowerment and SOS Children's Villages. Since 2001, the organisation has raised more than $3.5 million (Dh12.8m) in support of over 50 children’s charities.
Noor Dubai Foundation
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Noor Dubai Foundation a decade ago with the aim of eliminating all forms of preventable blindness globally. You can donate Dh50 to support mobile eye camps by texting the word “Noor” to 4565 (Etisalat) or 4849 (du).
