He publishes it a year after the job is done
«Mohammed bin Rashid Space» makes the data of the explorer Rashid available to the scientific community for free
The Explorer Rashid features high-quality technical features and specifications, including 3D cameras, suspension and sensor systems.
Dr. Hamad Al-Marzouqi, director of the Emirates Lunar Exploration Project, stated that the scientific data of the explorer Rashid mission will be provided by the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Center for free to the international scientific community, a year after the end of the mission, after collecting, analyzing and processing it, and then broadcasting it on the center’s scientific platform, indicating that The scientific plan is ready before implementation, and it is reviewed by the scientific team at the center.
He pointed to the scientific team of the Emirates mission to explore the moon, which includes 30 scientists from different international bodies, where data will be provided to them in a quick and smooth manner during the mission, and after that it will be shared with the scientific community, explaining that the scientific outputs of the mission will be an addition to the global scientific community, including the mission program American Artemis.
Finally, Al-Marzouqi said in a press conference held at the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Center that a cooperation agreement will be announced soon with three global ground stations to communicate with the explorer Rashid, with the aim of increasing the window of communication with him, indicating that the ground station in Dubai allows a number of six hours to communicate. , while other stations allow more hours of up to 20 and a half hours a day.
He pointed out that communication with the explorer Rashid takes place on a daily basis for 10 minutes, and the communication includes operating the systems on the explorer, which are the computer system, communication, the system responsible for measuring temperatures, as well as the battery system and the energy system, to ensure the efficiency of the devices, in order to collect The data was downloaded to the ground station in Al Khawaneej, confirming that all the navigator devices are in a stable condition.
He added: “The ground station team communicates on a daily basis with the explorer until it reaches the surface of the moon next April, and after its arrival, the main mission will begin, and before that the safety of the devices and the cameras will be confirmed, in addition to launching the robotic arm, calibrating the operating system, and the operating system.” Antenna connection.
Regarding the distance that the spacecraft travels daily on its journey to the moon, Al-Marzouqi stated that the explorer landing vehicle does not depend on the distance it travels daily, as much as it depends on the path it takes, which is represented by leaving the Earth’s orbit to reach the farthest point from the planet, which is 1.4 million km. kilometer, on January 20, 2023, which is a focal point for reorienting the trajectory in the correct way, so that a kind of free fall towards lunar gravity takes place, which takes a period of time until next March, to start later entering the lunar orbit.
He added that this focal point is what will determine the success and efficiency of the mission and the landing of the vehicle on the surface of the moon and the specific location for that, and the stage of entering the orbit around the moon, which requires a modification of the path, in addition to landing on the surface of the moon, indicating that if the error is large in the coordinates of the path, It may cause the mission to fail, in addition to the “iSpace” company providing the vehicle with more fuel than necessary, in anticipation of any modification in the path, but sometimes it is difficult to correct some errors, especially in the coordinates.
Al-Marzouqi said that the mission includes seven basic stages, and the explorer succeeded in the first four of them, which are the launch, ensuring the safety of the vehicle in general, and ensuring the safety of the vehicle’s payload, including the “explorer”, as well as ensuring the ability of the propulsion and trajectory control systems to move forward.
He pointed out that the first image that will be taken immediately after landing on the surface of the moon will be from the front camera of the lander, which will capture the location of the explorer's descent, in order for the team to study the nature and topography of the area in order to avoid possible difficulties, followed by granting permission to "iSpace" to land the explorer. At that time, another image will be taken of the explorer in the landing area, and then more than one image will be taken by the explorer's robotic arm camera of the surrounding area, then the explorer will be released from the landing platform, to begin its first steps on the lunar soil.
He stated that the lander needs eight hours, after landing on the surface of the moon, to ensure the safety of all systems and the operation of the rapid communication system, in addition to that the explorer needs four hours to release the robotic arm and the communication antenna in order to conduct a series of tests before starting its missions.
Al-Marzouqi explained that the scientific mission focuses on photographing the surface of the moon without interacting with the soil, indicating that the explorer is characterized by a number of advantages and technical specifications of high quality and efficiency, including 3D cameras, a suspension system, advanced sensor and communication systems, in addition to an external structure and solar panels to provide it with energy.
He added, “The explorer will work by relying on solar panels, as it includes four cameras that move vertically and horizontally, including two basic cameras, a microscope camera, and a thermal imaging camera, in addition to sensors and systems equipped to analyze the properties of soil, dust, radioactive and electrical activities, and rocks on the surface of the moon, and it includes a system to enhance Efficient adhesion of the explorer's wheels to the lunar surface, facilitating the process of overcoming natural barriers, and a solid structure to protect devices and engines from temperature changes.
And he indicated that the mission of the explorer on the surface of the moon will last one lunar day, starting after sunrise in the landing area on the surface of the moon, until before sunset, as the explorer works during this period to implement the basic idea of the mission, which is moving on the surface of the moon, and visiting places Different, and each site will have a clear scientific plan, including imaging and measuring electric charges, and these plans will be in coordination between the scientific and engineering teams in the center, and then sent to the operations team, which in turn implements the plan and receives data, pointing out that the team has the flexibility to change plans. Based on the lunar surface, this is done at breakneck speed to make the most of the duration of the lunar mission.
He pointed out that the lunar day witnesses the sunrise and its continuity until sunset for a period of 14 Earth days, then it enters a night sleep, and all its devices are closed, stressing that the work of the devices in the next lunar day will be an additional task, because the main task is in the lunar day that precedes its entry. in a nocturnal hibernation.
He stressed that the operation of the explorer Rashid after the specified mission is a great achievement, because most of the tasks end after the lunar night, without the need for nuclear energy.
He explained that after the explorer lands on the surface of the moon, calibration and testing of the efficiency of the mechanical system and its devices will be carried out, in preparation for the start of the scientific mission, and movement in the “Mare Frigoris” area, specifically the “Atlas Crater” area that was chosen, as it will move in the vicinity of a radius 500 metres.
He added that the navigator's movement depends on its presence near the Japanese landing craft "Hakuto-R", in order to provide good communication between them that helps to execute orders accurately, as the navigator must be in a clear field of view of the vehicle, and on the other hand, the navigator's movement is associated with an angle. The sunlight that solar panel cells rely on to obtain their energy, which helps them carry out the task.
• 30 scientists from different international bodies are part of the scientific team of the UAE mission to explore the moon.
3 missions to the moon
The director of the Emirates Lunar Exploration Project, Dr. Hamad Al Marzouqi, stated that there are three missions to the surface of the moon, which is the Emirates mission, and two other American missions, which were scheduled to be launched in 2021, but their launch was postponed due to the “Covid-19” pandemic.
Technical reasons
Dr. Hamad Al-Marzouqi, director of the Emirates Lunar Exploration Project, stated that the reason for delaying the launch of the explorer Rashid aboard the SpaceX missile, more than once, was due to the presence of technical reasons for the missile, which had to postpone the launch until its efficiency was confirmed, indicating that in such cases Situations You should not take risks at all, especially if there is a small percentage of technical barriers that do not provide for a successful launch.
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