Brief
UAE’s Rashid Rover 2 Integrates Ground‑Penetrating Radar for Far‑Side Moon Mission
The new payload will allow scientists to study subsurface layers and mineral composition on the far side of the Moon.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Dubai’s Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) announced that Rashid Rover 2 now carries RTx, a ground‑penetrating radar transmitter capable of probing 100 metres below the lunar surface. The integration moves the Emirates Lunar Mission closer to its planned launch on Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost Mission 2, which will carry the rover to the far side of the Moon. RTx will transmit radio signals that are received by the LuSEE‑Night spectrometer on the lander, enabling studies of the Moon’s subsurface composition, thermal properties and plasma activity. The payload is a joint effort between NASA, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Heliospace Corp. and Southwest Research Institute. Project Manager Dr Hamad Al Marzooqi said the addition “expands the mission’s scientific value, by enabling us to gain new insights into the Moon’s formation, history and mineral composition.” The rover will also conduct surface terrain studies and support future lunar base designs.
Key facts
- Rashid Rover 2 now carries RTx, a radar that can probe 100 metres below the lunar surface (gulfnews.com)
- The rover will launch on Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost Mission 2 to the far side of the Moon (gulfnews.com)
- RTx signals will be received by the LuSEE‑Night spectrometer on the lander (gulfnews.com)
- The payload is a collaboration between NASA, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Heliospace Corp. and Southwest Research Institute (gulfnews.com)
- Project Manager Dr Hamad Al Marzooqi highlighted the scientific value of the radar (gulfnews.com)
Background
The UAE’s first lunar rover, Rashid Rover 1, crashed in April 2023. Rashid Rover 2 is the second attempt, following a 2025 agreement between MBRSC and Firefly Aerospace to deliver the lander.
Why it matters
The radar will provide unprecedented data on the Moon’s subsurface, informing future exploration and potential lunar base development.
What happens next
Rashid Rover 2 will undergo final payload integration and mission‑readiness checks before launch.
Sources
- [1] gulfnews.com — originally reported as “Emirates Lunar Mission: UAE’s Rashid Rover 2 Reaches Milestone With RTx Radar to Probe 100 Metres Below Lunar Surface”
