Emirates Lunar Mission
First UAE Moon mission, rover crashed on landing.
The Emirates Lunar Mission (Arabic: مشروع الإمارات لاستكشاف القمر) marked the United Arab Emirates' first attempt to reach the Moon. The Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) oversaw the effort, which involved sending a rover called Rashid to the lunar surface. The rover traveled aboard the Hakuto-R Mission 1 lander, built by the Japanese company ispace. Launch occurred on 11 December 2022 via a Falcon 9 Block 5 rocket, with the target landing site in Atlas crater. On 25 April 2023, just moments before touchdown, contact with the Hakuto-R lander was lost. ispace later confirmed the spacecraft had crashed into the Moon and was destroyed. The following day, 26 April 2023, MBRSC announced a second rover, Rashid 2.
The Rashid rover carried two high-resolution cameras, a microscopic camera for capturing fine details, and a thermal imaging camera. It also included a Langmuir probe to study the Moon's plasma and investigate why lunar dust is so sticky. The rover's goals were to examine the lunar surface, test mobility on the Moon, and observe how different surfaces interact with lunar particles.
Initially, the mission planned to send the rover by 2024. On 14 April 2021, MBRSC moved the schedule up, aiming for a 2022 launch instead. The rover was named Rashid in honor of Dubai's late ruler Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum. Built entirely in Dubai by Emirati engineers at MBRSC, the mission made the UAE the first Arab country to attempt a Moon landing.
Because the UAE did not plan to build its own lander, it partnered with ispace for the lunar descent. The Emirates Lunar Mission was the first Moon voyage for Hakuto-R, a lander ispace had been developing for over a decade. ispace, founded in 2010, previously managed Team Hakuto, one of five finalists in the Google Lunar X Prize. That private race ended in 2018 without a winner.
Following the failed landing of the first Rashid rover, the Emirates Lunar Mission began a study to choose a lander for Rashid 2. Early reports in 2022 suggested it might ride aboard China's Chang'e 7 mission. On 22 May 2025, Firefly Aerospace announced that its Blue Ghost Mission 2 lander would deliver Rashid 2 to the Moon.
- Field
- Lunar exploration
- Nationality
- United Arab Emirates
- Known for
- First Arab country to send a mission to the Moon
- Launch date
- 11 December 2022
- Lander
- Hakuto-R Mission 1 (ispace)
- Rover name
- Rashid
- Landing attempt
- Atlas crater
Lore & Background
The Emirates Lunar Mission was initiated by the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) in Dubai. The rover, named Rashid in honor of Dubai's late ruler Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, was built entirely by Emiratis at MBRSC. The mission's initial timeline aimed for a 2024 launch, but on 14 April 2021, MBRSC announced the schedule had been moved up to 2022. The rover was equipped with two high-resolution cameras, a microscopic camera, a thermal imaging camera, and a Langmuir probe designed to study the Moon's plasma and the stickiness of Moon dust. Its objectives included studying the lunar surface, mobility on the Moon, and how different surfaces interact with lunar particles.
Reader's Guide
The Emirates Lunar Mission represents a significant milestone as the first Arab country to send a mission to the Moon. Although the initial landing attempt failed when the Hakuto-R lander crashed into the Moon on 25 April 2023, the mission demonstrated the UAE's growing capabilities in space exploration. The rover Rashid was built entirely in Dubai by Emirati engineers, highlighting a national investment in indigenous space technology. The mission also marked the first Moon trip for ispace's Hakuto-R lander, which had been in development for over a decade. Following the failure, the Emirates Lunar Mission announced a second rover, Rashid 2, and conducted a study to select its lander. Initial reporting in 2022 suggested it would be carried on Chang'e 7, but on May 22, 2025, Firefly Aerospace announced its Blue Ghost Mission 2 lander would deliver Rashid 2 to the lunar surface. The mission's legacy lies in its pioneering role for the UAE and the Arab world in lunar exploration, despite the setback.
Did You Know?
- The rover Rashid was named after Dubai's late ruler Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum.
- The Hakuto-R lander was developed by Japanese company ispace, which was established in 2010 and managed Team Hakuto, a finalist in the Google Lunar X Prize.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Emirates Lunar Mission?
It was the United Arab Emirates' first-ever attempt to send a spacecraft to the Moon, organized under the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre. The mission carried a small rover named Rashid aboard a Japanese-built lander called Hakuto-R Mission 1.
Who built the lander and what rocket carried it to space?
The Hakuto-R Mission 1 lander was constructed by the Japanese company ispace. It lifted off on 11 December 2022 riding a SpaceX Falcon 9 Block 5 rocket.
Where was the mission supposed to land on the Moon?
The target landing site was Atlas crater on the lunar surface. The rover Rashid was designed to operate on the ground once the lander set down there.
Did the Emirates Lunar Mission succeed in landing?
No. On 25 April 2023, contact with the Hakuto-R lander was lost just moments before it was scheduled to touch down, and ispace later confirmed the spacecraft had failed. The rover never operated on the Moon.
Why is the Emirates Lunar Mission considered significant?
It made the UAE the first Arab nation to send a mission to the Moon, marking a major milestone for the country's space program. Despite the landing failure, the effort demonstrated the region's growing role in lunar exploration.
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