The United Arab Emirates’ Rashid Rover – the Arab world's first mission to the Moon – has been postponed for a second time, it was announced Thursday.
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying the Hakuto-R Mission 1 lander, with the UAE's Rashid rover inside it, was due to launch12:37 p.m. UAE time on Thursday, after its scheduled Wednesday launch was postponed.
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However, the second scheduled blast-off from Florida was cancelled early on Thursday.
“After further inspections of the launch vehicle and data review, we're standing down from tomorrow's launch of @ispace_inc's HAKUTO-R Mission 1; a new target launch date will be shared once confirmed,” SpaceX wrote on Twitter.
— Space Intelligence (@SpaceIntellige3) December 1, 2022
Officials are hopeful of a new launch date in the coming days.
The Emirati-built four-wheel rover is to be stored inside Japanese lunar exploration company ispace’s Hakuto-R Mission 1 lander, which will transport the vessel to the Moon's surface.
The vehicle will spend one lunar day on the Moon's surface. As part of the Emirates Lunar Mission, the 10-kilogram robotic explorer will send back images and collect data on lunar soil and dust once it reaches the lunar surface.
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