DUBAI: NASA has located the crash site of UAE’s Rashid Rover on the moon, revealed in new images released by the agency on Tuesday.
The rover carried on the Hakuto-R Lander built by Japanese company ispace inc., crash-landed in April after the lander lost contact with its mission control.
NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter took ten photos around the landing site, a few showing large pieces of debris scattered across the area on the surface. Narrow-angle cameras captured the site and identified changes on the lunar surface, Arab News reported.
The ispace will hold a press briefing on Friday to reveal the causes of the failed mission. During the primary investigation, the Japanese company said the remaining propellent in the lander was reduced during the landing attempt, making the speed too fast.
The investigation pointed towards a possibility of low fuel during the landing attempt, leading the engine to shut down and causing the crash.
Rashid Rover’s moon mission
The plan for the Rashid Rover was to spend fourteen Earth days on the moon and capture images to study the planet’s geology.
The UAE’s Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) is already working on a second rover called the Rashid Two.
