Emirates Lunar Mission to launch on December 1

The UAE’s first mission to the surface of the moon will now launch on December 1, at 12.37pm local time.

A new launch date is set for the Emirates Lunar Mission tomorrow 1 December at 12:37 PM (UAE time).#EmiratesLunarMission #UAEtotheMoon pic.twitter.com/0xt2nAaeJs

— MBR Space Centre (@MBRSpaceCentre) November 30, 2022

The mission’s new launch date has been postponed by three days from its original date, the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) has announced.

Read: First Emirati mission to the Moon set to launch on November 28

The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, carrying the Rashid Rover, will take off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in the US.

Standing down from launch of ispace’s HAKUTO-R Mission 1 to allow for additional pre-flight checkouts; now targeting Thursday, December 1 at 3:37 a.m. ET for liftoff

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) November 30, 2022

Upon landing, the Rashid rover will explore the characteristics of the lunar soil, the petrography and geology of the Moon, dust movement, surface plasma conditions, and the Moon’s photoelectron sheath.

SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, carrying the Rashid Rover, is now vertical on the launch pad at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in the United States.

Watch the live coverage of the launch starting from 10:30 AM UAE Time: https://t.co/LbRXOKflpD#UAEtotheMoon#EmiratesLunarMission pic.twitter.com/v5992JKTAB

— MBR Space Centre (@MBRSpaceCentre) November 30, 2022

MBRSC had signed an agreement with Japan’s ispace in 2021, enabling the latter to provide payload delivery services to the Emirates Lunar Mission.

Read: UAE partners with Japan for mission to send ‘Rashid’ rover to the moon