UAE and US company work together on second moon robot trip in 2026
In 2026, the UAE will launch its second Moon mission, marking another major step in its space goals.
Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense, and President of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC), said on Thursday that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has struck a strategic deal with Firefly Aerospace, which is located in the United States. The contract involves Firefly’s Blue Ghost lander carrying the Rashid 2 Rover to the Moon’s far side aboard the Elytra Dark orbital spacecraft.
“I witnessed the signing of an alliance among MBRSC and Firefly Aerospace to provide Rashid 2 Rover payload delivery services,” Sheikh Hamdan said on X. “This mission will make the UAE the second country in history to attempt a Moon far side landing, placing the nation at the cutting edge of space exploration.”
Rashid Rover 1, the UAE’s first lunar mission, crashed in 2022 when a Japanese lander failed to soft-land. Rashid 2 will concentrate on scientific research in a difficult setting with higher communication and geographical challenges than its predecessor.
The rover will research the Moon’s plasma environment, geology, temperature conditions, and soil qualities using several cameras and equipment. It will test wheel material adhesion for lunar dust endurance, a crucial barrier for future lunar technologies like spacesuits and homes.
It is the leadership of the United Arab Emirates, notably President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Vice President Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, that advocates for the United Arab Emirates’ aspirations in the field of space exploration. Sheikh Hamdan stressed the UAE’s youth’s role in progressing on Earth and beyond.
“Our goal is not only to reach new space destinations but to generate meaningful knowledge that contributes to humanity’s understanding of the universe,” he added. The deal with Firefly Aerospace underscores our objective of strategic worldwide cooperation to accomplish our long-term scientific and space technology goals.