About Emirates Lunar Mission Dubai
The Emirates Lunar Mission Dubai is a project by the United Arab Emirates to send a spacecraft to the Moon. The mission is part of the UAE’s ambitious space program, which aims to establish a space industry and inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers in the region.
The Emirates Lunar Mission is expected to launch in 2024 and will be the first Arab mission to the Moon. The spacecraft, named Rashid after the late Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, will carry a suite of scientific instruments to study the lunar surface and its environment.
The mission is also a part of the larger international effort to explore the Moon and establish a sustainable human presence there. The UAE has previously launched several successful satellites and a mission to Mars, and the Emirates Lunar Mission represents the country’s growing capabilities and ambitions in space exploration.
Overall, the Emirates Lunar Mission Dubai is an exciting and significant project that represents a major step forward for the UAE’s space program and the broader global effort to explore and study the Moon.
Objectives of Emirates Lunar Mission Dubai
- Scientific exploration: The mission aims to conduct scientific studies of the Moon’s surface and environment, including its geology, mineralogy, water resources, radiation levels, temperature, and atmosphere. The data collected by the mission’s scientific instruments will help scientists better understand the Moon and its evolution.
- Technological demonstration: The mission will also demonstrate the UAE’s technological capabilities in space exploration, including the development of the spacecraft, its subsystems, and the scientific instruments onboard. The mission will also test new technologies and techniques for conducting lunar exploration.
- Inspiration and education: The Emirates Lunar Mission Dubai is designed to inspire the next generation of scientists, engineers, and innovators in the UAE and the region. The mission will engage students and the public in the excitement of space exploration and promote STEM education.
- International collaboration: The UAE aims to collaborate with international partners on the mission, building on the country’s growing reputation as a leader in space exploration. The mission will also contribute to the broader international effort to explore and study the Moon.
HAKUTO-R lander
The HAKUTO-R lander is a robotic spacecraft developed by the Japanese space robotics company ispace. It’s designed to land on the surface of the Moon and perform a range of scientific experiments and demonstrations.
The HAKUTO-R lander is part of ispace’s larger Hakuto program, which aims to explore and commercialize the Moon. The spacecraft is a small, lightweight vehicle weighing around 500 kilograms and is powered by solar panels.
The lander carries a suite of scientific instruments, including a camera for high-resolution imaging, a magnetometer for measuring the Moon’s magnetic field, and a laser retroreflector for precise measurement of the distance between the Earth and the Moon.
The HAKUTO-R lander is also equipped with a range of commercial payloads, including a robotic arm for deploying and retrieving small payloads, as well as several cubesats for remote sensing and communications.
ispace plans to launch the HAKUTO-R lander on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket in 2022, as part of a larger mission to deliver multiple payloads to the Moon. The company aims to eventually establish a permanent lunar presence, providing services such as lunar exploration, transportation, and resource utilization.
Overall, the HAKUTO-R lander is an exciting project that demonstrates the growing capabilities of private space companies in lunar exploration and commercialization.
Launch window of Emirates Lunar Mission Dubai
The exact launch window for the Emirates Lunar Mission Dubai has not been announced yet, but it is expected to launch in 2024. The launch window for the mission will depend on several factors, including the availability of the launch vehicle, the alignment of the Earth and the Moon, and other technical and operational considerations.
Typically, launch windows for missions to the Moon occur when the Moon is in a certain position in its orbit, which allows for a more efficient transfer of the spacecraft from Earth to the Moon. The launch window may also take into account factors such as the angle of the Sun and the position of other planets in the solar system.
The UAE has not yet announced the specific launch date or window for the Emirates Lunar Mission Dubai, but it is expected to be announced closer to the launch date as preparations for the mission progress.
Cost of Emirates Lunar Mission Dubai
The exact cost of the Emirates Lunar Mission Dubai has not been publicly disclosed by the United Arab Emirates Space Agency (UAESA), which is overseeing the mission. However, it’s estimated to be in the range of hundreds of millions of dollars.
The mission involves a range of complex activities, including the development and manufacture of the spacecraft and its scientific payloads, the design and implementation of the mission architecture and operations, the launch services, and the post-launch activities such as communication and data analysis.
