UAE Moon mission set for historic launch today

khaleej Times | Dubai

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

The UAE is now just a few hours away from another historic moment: It is set to become the fourth country to land on the moon, the first in the Arab world.

The Rashid Rover — named after the late Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, former Ruler of Dubai — is blasting off to space today at 11.38am (UAE time), marking the start of an epic 385,000km odyssey.

The Emirates Lunar Mission has come a long way since it was first announced in September 2020. Here's a quick guide on all you need to know.

9.25am: Journalists arrive at the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre in Dubai

At the MBRSC, the mood is one of excitement and nervousness. Many are grabbing coffee and getting into what is definitely going to be a long day. Here's Khaleej Times' team on the ground, ready to record history in the making:

Millions of people around the world have been following the UAE's space missions, with massive media coverage recorded every time. During the Hope Probe's launch in 2020, for example, over 1.5 billion people followed the story in newspapers and social media. We expect no less with this momentous occasion.

10.09am: Finally, the liftoff is happening

A few hours before the blastoff, the excitement peaks across the UAE — especially since the mission had faced a number of delays.

Earlier this month, the launch of the rover was delayed a fourth time due to technical delays. According to Japan-based ispace inc (ispace), the global lunar exploration company which will land the Emirati rover on the Moon, a, the postponement of the launch attempt of the lunar lander allowed SpaceX to perform additional pre-flight checks of the vehicle.

10.15am: Why space missions get delayed

Backup launch dates are considered for multiple reasons, say experts. It could be weather anomalies or any mechanical issues associated with the rocket.

This will ensure that launch agencies have enough time to analyse the space mission carefully.