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Watch: Students learning about space, Rashid Rover at MBRSC

Inaugural launch of the Rashid Rover is now scheduled to take place on Sunday at 11.38am UAE time

Published: Sat 10 Dec 2022, 9:48 AM

Updated: Sat 10 Dec 2022, 11:00 PM

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In a recent video tweeted by the Director General of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) Salem Al Marri, highlights how thousands of children visit the research centre daily and are even learning about the UAE’s upcoming lunar mission.

Al Marri tweeted: “Through our school outreach programme we have hosted thousands of kids with their daily visits to MBRSC. They are our all-time favourite guests, as they always ask inquisitive and interesting questions and hopefully leave being inspired, which is a big part of why we do what we do.”

The video shows school children entering the space research centre and rivetedly listening to the scientists and researchers who are excitedly explaining and conducting interesting science experiments with the school children.

They are also seen huddled around a model of the lunar mission as they look at it with rapt curiosity.

The inaugural launch of the Rashid Rover is now scheduled to take place on Sunday, December 11, 2022, at 2.38am Eastern US time or 11.38am UAE time.

A successful mission would make the UAE the fourth country globally to land on the Moon.

Once launched, the integrated spacecraft will take a low-energy route to the moon rather than a direct approach, which means the landing will take about five months after launch, in April 2023.

Earlier the rover was supposed to be launched on November 22, then on November 28 followed by launch dates of November 30 and December 1, 2022.

The Rashid Rover – named after the late Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, former Ruler of Dubai.

The rover is expected to land on the lunar surface about five months after the launch.

The primary landing site of the Rashid Rover is the Atlas Crater on the south-eastern outer edge of Mare Frigoris. A ‘mare’ is a flat, dark plain on the lunar surface. The site is located on the Moon's far north side and has not been explored previously.

The site was chosen along with multiple contingencies, which may be used depending on variables that occur during transit. The site meets the technical specifications of the lander technology demonstration mission and the scientific exploration objectives for the Emirates Lunar Mission.

The rover will explore the characteristics of lunar soil, dust movement, surface plasma conditions, and the Moon's photoelectron sheath.

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