CAPE CANAVERAL: A Tokyo company on Sunday sent its own private lander to the moon, aboard a Space-X rocket that also carried the United Arab Emirates’ first lunar rover and Japan’s toy-like robot. was designed to orbit the surface of the Moon. It will take about five months for the lander and accompanying equipment to reach the moon. The company iSpace designed its craft to use minimal fuel, save money and leave more space for cargo.
- It will take about five months for the lander and accompanying instruments to reach the moon
- There was also a Japanese toy-like robot that was designed to roam the surface of the moon
- While there are already science satellites orbiting Mars, the UAE also wants to explore the moon
Will fly 1 million miles from Earth
So it is taking a slow, low-energy route to the moon, flying 1 million miles (1.6 million kilometers) from Earth and landing on the moon by the end of April. In contrast, NASA’s Orion crew capsule took 5 days to reach the moon last month. was The space lander will aim for Atlas Crater, more than 87 kilometers in the northeastern region of the moon’s near side and just over 2 kilometers deep. With its four legs extended, the lander is more than 7 feet tall.
There are already science satellites orbiting Mars
While there are already science satellites orbiting Mars, the UAE also wants to explore the moon. Its rover, named Rashid after the royal family of Dubai, weighs only 22 pounds (10 kg) and will operate on the lunar surface for about 10 days.