MBRSC, French space agency strengthen collaboration on Rashid Rover 2

The Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) is strengthening its partnership with France’s national space agency, CNES, as preparations ramp up for the Emirates Lunar Mission’s Rashid Rover 2, set to launch to the Moon in 2026.

A new Memorandum of Understanding was signed during World Space Business Week in Paris, reinforcing cooperation that began with the first Rashid Rover.

Under the deal, CNES will provide two high-resolution cameras and a CASPEX imaging module, proven in past space missions, to help Rashid Rover 2 capture detailed imagery from the lunar surface.

The collaboration also extends to contributing to image processing, with specialists supporting to ensure the highest quality of data, which will be critical to advancing lunar research.

CNES recently hosted the MBRSC team in Toulouse, where Rashid Rover 2 underwent critical thermal vacuum testing to ensure it can withstand the Moon’s harsh conditions.

Earlier this year, MBRSC signed a key agreement with Firefly Aerospace, which will provide the lunar lander to deploy the rover to the far side of the Moon — a technically challenging area due to its rough terrain and limited communication.

The mission will explore lunar dust, geology, temperature variations, and plasma activity, while also testing materials for future space technology like habitats and spacesuits.

The Emirates Lunar Mission is funded by the ICT Fund under the UAE’s Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority, supporting innovation in the country’s growing space sector.