UAE Moves Closer To 2026 Moon Landing As Rashid Rover 2 Passes Key Tests In US Khaleej Times

The UAE is inching closer to flying to the moon in less than a year, as a new round of critical tests on Rashid Rover 2 has been completed by the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) in the US.

The trials were carried out in partnership with Firefly Aerospace as part of preparations for the rover's launch aboard the Blue Ghost Mission 2 lander in 2026. Engineers conducted a comprehensive evaluation of the rover's electrical, software, and mechanical interfaces with Firefly's Blue Ghost lander.

The team also tested wireless communication between both systems and ran deployment and drive-off simulations to confirm the rover can be safely released and operated on the lunar surface in different scenarios. Officials said the successful tests strengthen confidence in the mission's readiness and validate the integration of the rover with the commercial lander.

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Dr Hamad AlMarzooqi, Project Manager, Emirates Lunar Mission, MBRSC, said,“These latest tests mark an important milestone to ensure a seamless integration between the rover and the lander systems. Our joint efforts with Firefly Aerospace are guided by a shared focus on precision and innovation, ensuring the mission's scientific and technical goals are achieved with the highest reliability standards. Rashid Rover 2 embodies the dedication of our engineers and the UAE's continued drive to contribute to global lunar exploration through purposeful, knowledge-led progress.”

Rashid Rover 2 to land on the far side of the moon

The UAE's lunar rover will be deployed on the far side of the Moon, the hemisphere always turned away from Earth with rugged terrain and a thicker crust.

Rashid Rover 2 will travel to the Moon with international payloads from Australia, the European Space Agency (ESA), and NASA. The mission is part of Firefly Aerospace's second lunar landing attempt, following Blue Ghost Mission 1 in March 2025, which was the first successful commercial landing on the Moon.

Once deployed, the UAE-built rover, equipped with cameras and scientific instruments, will study the Moon's plasma environment, geology, soil properties, surface temperatures, and the lunar photoelectron sheath. The data is expected to support future in-situ resource use and guide deeper space exploration.

Farah Zuberi, Director of Spacecraft Mission Management at Firefly Aerospace, said,“Firefly is proud to onboard the MBRSC Rashid Rover 2 on Blue Ghost Mission 2, which has evolved into an international mission representing countries across the globe. Now that the rover has been successfully delivered and tested in our cleanroom, we're one step closer to deploying the rover on the lunar surface and unlocking new insights on the far side of the Moon.”

The UAE's first lunar spacecraft, Rashid Rover 1, was launched from Cape Canaveral on December 11, 2022. Its deployment on the Moon did not happen on April 25, 2023 as the Hakuto-R Mission 1, the Japanese lunar lander carrying it, failed to achieve a soft landing.

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