SpaceX to launch UAE's first rover mission to Moon inside Japan's lander on November 30

SpaceX is targeting the launch of UAE’s first rover mission to the Moon on November 30. The rover will be launched aboard the Falcon 9 rocket from the Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida when the launch window opens at 2:09 pm IST; a backup window is available on December 1 at 2:07 pm IST.

The rover, which is developed by the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre, is being sent to the Moon inside a lander made by Japan’s private firm ispace which has named the mission M1. UAE, on the other hand, has named it the Emirates Lunar Mission (ELM) which aims to explore the Mare Frigoris (Sea of Cold) region on the Moon. 

Where to watch the launch live?

You can watch the launch live by tuning in to SpaceX’s YouTube channel, official website and social media handles. The live webcast will begin at 2 pm IST on November 30. 

More about the UAE-Japan joint lunar mission

The rover named Rashid weighs 10 kg and its exploration mission has a planned lifespan of one lunar day or 14 Earth days. Once ispace’s lander named HAKUTO-R touches down at the Atlas crater most likely in late April or early May on the southeastern outer edge of Mare Frigoris, Rashid will deploy its suite of instruments to help researchers better understand the moon's electrically charged environment and its other characteristics.

The reason for choosing Mare Frigoris as an exploration site for Rashid is because it has not been explored before, it will ensure continuous illumination by the sun as well as communication visibility from the Earth among other advantages. For ispace, this mission is a technology demonstration that will support the development of advanced landers for future missions. 

"The accumulated data and experience from M1 will be incorporated into future designs and operations to enhance missions, beginning immediately with Mission 2, which is already in the development stage and is scheduled for 2024,” ispace said in its official statement. The Japanese firm will also contribute to NASA’s Artemis missions under its Commercial Lunar Payload Services program by developing a third lander for a lunar mission in 2025. 

What else is Falcon 9 carrying?

The two-stage rocket is also carrying the Lunar Flashlight CubeSat developed by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. No bigger than a shoebox, the CubeSat will map ice deposits on the Moon from the orbit to determine where they exist on the surface and if they are enough to sustain future lunar colonies. The Lunar Flashlight is motivated by the idea that the discovery of abundant water beneath the Moon’s surface will ensure breathable oxygen and rocket fuel, making the Moon a fuel depot for missions to Mars and beyond.