The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket was supposed to launch on December 1st, carrying the Japanese moon lander, Hakuto-R. However, it has been delayed after inspections and data review, which may mean that the rocket is experiencing issues. There are no new official launch dates yet as of now, but it will be announced as soon as it is confirmed, according to a Twitter announcement.
Falcon 9, Hakuto-R, and Rashid
The rocket was set to launch on November 30th, but the plan was scrubbed to allow for additional pre-flight checkouts. Despite the setback, Falcon 9 has already been launched four times before, proving its reliability for the mission. The rocket has brought the SES-22 communications satellite and three batches of Starlink Internet satellites to space.
If the moon lander manages to launch barring complications, it will journey to the moon in an estimated four months. Once it achieves a touchdown, it will release a 22 lbs moon rover called Rashid, created by the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Center (MBRSC). It will be studying the moon's environs for 14 Earth days, as mentioned in Space.
Making History
Once the Hakuto-R makes its landing, it will officially be the first to achieve a soft landing, surpassing space agencies from the US, China, and the Soviet Union. Rashid will also be the first moon rover launched by the United Arab Emirates. It will undergo a low-energy route as opposed to a direct approach.
According to Wion News, the mission's success will make the UAE the fourth country to land on the moon. The primary landing site for the UAE moon rover is at the Atlas Crater, which is located on the southeastern outer edge of mare Frigoris. This means that the rover will reach areas of the moon that haven't been explored yet.
The Rashid has two high-resolution cameras, a microscopic camera, a thermal imager, a Langmuir Probe, an Inertial Measurement Unit, and a 3D camera Time of Flight. This allows the spacecraft to send data and images to Earth, which will be about the moon's dust, lunar surface mobility, and how different surfaces interact with particles.
The success of the Falcon 9 launch will also mean that NASA will be a step closer to a moon base. As reported, the Lunar Flashlight will look for water ice within proximity of the moon's south pole. It will do so by being equipped with a spectrometer and a laser reflectometer. This will help NASA move forward with its Artemis program.
It was also a first for NASA to use a CubeSat that used "green propulsion, which is less toxic and safer than hydrazine which is what is usually used, according to NASA. The mission was made possible by NASA's Advance Exploration System selection in 2014. It is funded by the Small Spacecraft Technology program.
The success of the Lunar Flashlight means that the Artemis program will be one step closer to building the Artemis Base Camp on the moon where astronauts can stay longer.
