Firefly Aerospace to deliver UAE’s Rashid 2 rover to far side of the moon
CEDAR PARK, Texas - Firefly Aerospace in Cedar Park, Texas, will deliver the United Arab Emirates’ Rashid 2 lunar rover to the far side of the Moon in 2026 under a new agreement with the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC), the company announced.
The rover will ride aboard Firefly’s Blue Ghost lander as part of the company’s second lunar mission, which also includes payloads from the European Space Agency, Australia, and NASA through the Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program.
"On the heels of Firefly’s flawless Moon landing and operations, our team is looking forward to collaborating with the UAE and further expanding our representation of Artemis Accords nations on this groundbreaking mission to the far side of the Moon," said Firefly CEO Jason Kim. "We’re honored to support the international space community with our versatile Blue Ghost lander and Elytra spacecraft."
Firefly Aerospace’s commercial Blue Ghost lander delivers NASA tech to the moon
The Rashid 2 Rover will test the durability of wheel materials against lunar dust and collect data to inform the development of future lunar systems, including habitats and spacesuits. It will also study plasma, geology, and thermal conditions to support future in-situ resource utilization.
"The strategic agreement signed with Firefly Aerospace marks a significant advancement in the UAE’s growing role in shaping the future of lunar exploration," said Salem Humaid AlMarri, director general of MBRSC. "The UAE will become one of the few nations to explore the far side of the Moon."
Lunar missions
Firefly’s Elytra spacecraft will deploy the Blue Ghost lander and ESA’s Lunar Pathfinder satellite into lunar orbit before Blue Ghost descends to the surface. Elytra will remain in orbit to provide communications and calibration support for NASA’s LuSEE-Night telescope.
Other payloads include Australia’s Fleet Space SPIDER and NASA’s User Terminal. Firefly said the combined mission aims to advance lunar mobility, resource discovery, communications, and deep space science.
The company has already started assembling flight hardware for the mission, which follows Firefly’s first lunar mission that culminated in a successful landing on March 2. That mission operated for 14 days on the Moon, the longest commercial surface operation to date.
Jamie Whitney
Jamie Whitney joined the staff of Military & Aerospace Electronics and Intelligent Aerospace. He brings seven years of print newspaper experience to the aerospace and defense electronics industry.
Whitney oversees editorial content for the Intelligent Aerospace Website, as well as produce news and features for Military & Aerospace Electronics, attend industry events, produce Webcasts, oversee print production of Military & Aerospace Electronics, and expand the Intelligent Aerospace and Military & Aerospace Electronics franchises with new and innovative content.
