United Arab Emirates to launch first lunar rover in November

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Category: Science/Environment

Listening

Unlocking Word Meanings

Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.

  1. state-linked / steɪt lɪŋkt / (adj.) – related to or connected to a government
    Example:

    The state-linked airline company is funded fully by the government.


  2. deposit / dɪˈpɒz ɪt / (v.) – to leave something in a place
    Example:

    We deposited our bags at the museum entrance.


  3. probe / proʊb  / (n.) – a device that’s sent into space to collect data
    Example:

    The probe was sent to Neptune to study its moons.


  4. high-resolution / ˈhaɪˌrɛz əˈlu ʃən / (adj.) – extremely clear or detailed
    Example:

    I can see the patterns on the leaf’s surface in this high-resolution image.


  5. thermal / ˈθɜr məl / (adj.) – relating to, used with, or caused by heat
    Example:

    During the pandemic, airports used thermal scanners to detect passengers with fever.


Article

Read the text below.

The United Arab Emirates will launch its first lunar rover in November, the mission manager said.


Hamad Al Marzooqi told The National, a state-linked newspaper, that the “Rashid” rover, named for Dubai’s ruling family, would be launched from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida sometime between Nov. 9 and Nov. 15.


The rover is to be launched aboard a Falcon 9 SpaceX rocket and deposited on the moon by a Japanese ispace lander sometime in March.


“We’ve finished with the testing of the rover and we are happy with the results,” Al Marzooqi was quoted as saying. “The rover has been integrated with the lander and it is ready for launch.”


The lunar mission is part of the UAE’s broader strategy to become a major player in the field of space exploration. If the moon mission succeeds, the UAE and Japan would join the ranks of the U.S., Russia and China as nations that have put a spacecraft on the lunar surface.


Already, an Emirati satellite is orbiting Mars to study the red planet’s atmosphere. The UAE partnered with Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries to launch that probe, which swung into Mars’ orbit in February 2021.


The Rashid rover is expected to study the lunar surface, mobility on the moon’s surface and how different surfaces interact with lunar particles. The 10-kilogram (22-pound) rover will carry two high-resolution cameras, a microscopic camera, a thermal imagery camera, a probe and other devices.


The UAE has plans to develop the Middle East’s most advanced commercial satellite to produce high-resolution satellite imagery. It has also set the ambitious goal of building a human colony on Mars by 2117.


This article was provided by The Associated Press.


Viewpoint Discussion

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.

Discussion A

  • The lunar mission is part of the UAE’s broader strategy to become a major player in the field of space exploration. Why do you think countries like the UAE want to join space exploration? Discuss.
  • What would you like your government to explore in space (ex. other habitable planets, other galaxies)? Why? Discuss.

Discussion B

  • Do you think countries should heavily invest in space exploration? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • The UAE space program has also set the ambitious goal of building a human colony on Mars by 2117. What do you think people’s lives would look like if we find another planet to live on (ex. some would still stay on Earth, others will work on another planet)? Discuss.