The UAE has officially announced its next bold step into space. His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and President of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC), has unveiled the nation’s upcoming lunar project: the Rashid 2 Rover, set to launch in 2026.
This ambitious mission represents the second phase of the Emirates Lunar Mission programme and follows the 2023 attempt with the original Rashid Rover. While that mission did not complete a successful landing, it laid crucial groundwork for this new chapter.
What sets Rashid 2 apart is its destination: the far side of the moon — a region that presents technical and environmental hurdles unlike any other. The rover will face challenges in communication and navigation while exploring unknown terrain, but it’s being equipped with advanced tools to tackle these head-on.
Here’s what we know so far about UAE’s 2026 moon mission:
- Mission goal: Study the far side’s geology, soil structure, surface temperature, and plasma environment.
- Technology: State-of-the-art cameras, upgraded wheel design for abrasive lunar dust, and a robust radio transmitter for improved communication.
The rover will be delivered via the Blue Ghost lander developed by Firefly Aerospace, mounted on their Elytra Dark orbital vehicle. This will be Firefly’s second lunar operation.
This collaboration between MBRSC and Firefly Aerospace forms part of a larger strategic plan to solidify the UAE’s role in global space exploration. While more specifics will unfold as the launch draws nearer, one thing is certain: the UAE continues to chart a confident course in its space journey.
