UAE's Moon mission gets a target launch window

 

There is currently a launch window for the UAE's lunar mission. The Mission 1 (M1) lunar lander flight has a target window of November 9–15, according to Japan-based ispace Inc., which will land the Rashid Rover on the lunar surface.

The Hakuto-R program's lunar lander will launch from Cape Canaveral, Florida, on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. Two rovers will be among the numerous commercial and governmental payloads that the M1 lander will send to the moon's surface.

The Dubai Crown Prince tweeted on Wednesday that the UAE's Rashid Rover has finished testing and is prepared for the historic mission.

Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum commended the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre team for their work in creating the lunar rover and offered his congratulations.

He stated: "We are pleased to report the completion of the explorer's final testing for the pioneering Arab mission. The moon's surface is where we're headed next."

The flying model has undergone all necessary functional testing as of September 2022 at the IABG mbH Space Centre in Germany. The lander is currently being prepped for delivery to the Florida launch site.

The Hakuto-R Mission Control Centre (MCC), located in Tokyo's Nihonbashi central business area, will control M1 after launch. The MCC will keep track of the lander's attitude, temperature, and other factors. It will also communicate with the lander, give commands and data, and receive photos and video data both from Earth and the moon.

Takeshi Hakamada, CEO of ispace and the company's creator, said, "We are focused on each of our goals, but now that the launch window has been determined for M1, we are ready for the challenge. For me, this is a turning point toward realising our vision, but I'm already proud with the outcomes," the author said. I am excited to watch the launch with all of our staff members and our supporters.”

The late Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, a previous ruler of Dubai, is honoured in the name of the UAE's rover. The UAE would become the fourth nation in the world to set foot on the moon if the mission was a success.

The rover would set down in Mare Frigoris, an uncharted region of the moon. According to NASA, Mare Frigoris, often known as the "Sea of Cold," is located in the far north of the moon. A "mare" is a lunar plain that is level and dark.

The UAE will be able to research how to construct a human settlement on the moon, get ready for missions to study Mars, and answer questions for the scientific community about the solar system thanks to the mission, which will see the rover gather photographs and data.