United Arab Emirates(UAE) announced, it’ll launch an unmanned rover to the moon by 2024 because it seeks to expand its space sector.
The UAE, a group of seven emirates; better known for its skyscrapers, palm-shaped islands, and opulent mega attractions; may be a newcomer to the planet of space exploration but quickly making its mark.
First Arab Country
In September 2019, the oil-rich country sent the first Emirati into space; as a part of a three-member crew that blasted off on a Soyuz rocket from Kazakhstan for an eight-day mission.
Then in July, it launched an unmanned spacecraft from Japan’s Tanegashima Space Centre; bearing the “Hope” probe destined for Mars, within the Arab world’s first interplanetary mission.
The Emiratis now have their sights on the moon. as per the UAE’s vice president; Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum.
We are launching the first-ever Arab mission to the moon by 2024. The lunar rover will send back images & data from new sites of the moon that haven’t been explored by previous lunar missions. The gathered data will be shared with global research centers & institutions. pic.twitter.com/b4NQ3reLIq
— HH Sheikh Mohammed (@HHShkMohd) September 29, 2020
“We have launched a new Emirati project to explore the moon,” he said on Twitter on Tuesday. “It will be an Emirati-made lunar rover that will land on the surface of the moon by 2024.”
Sheikh Mohammed also said that the rover – named “Rashid” after his father (credited with modernizing Dubai). He aims to cover “areas not yet reached in previous exploration missions”.
The project marks another first for the UAE, making it the first trip to the moon by an Arab country.
Sheikh Mohammed said the lunar mission was a part of the country’s space strategy to create new knowledge-based and scientific capabilities.
The Dubai Media Office said that the 10-kilogram (22 pounds) rover is going to be an integral part of efforts to create the first settlement on Mars in 2117- one among the UAE’s most ambitious plans.