Bahrain’s NSSA to participate in moon payload mission
November 14, 2024
The Bahrain National Space Science Agency (NSSA) is to join the Emirates Lunar Mission of the UAE’s Mohammed Bin Rasid Space Centre (MBRSC), building on an MoU initially signed in 2019.
To achieve this ambitious mission, the NSSA will develop a lunar rover to carry “a Bahraini payload with versatile capabilities” to the moon’s surface, with data gathered to be used for research, analysis and development purposes.
“Bahrain’s participation in this historic mission underscores the high level of expertise and talent that our national workforce has reached, showcasing our continuous efforts to enhance the Kingdom’s technical and scientific capabilities,” explained NSSA CEO Dr Mohamed Ibrahim Al-Aseeri. “This achievement… proves that Bahrainis are ready to make meaningful contributions at the international level, especially in the vital space sector”.
He added that the collaboration between the Kingdom of Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates “will contribute to a significant scientific achievement and represent an important step towards strengthening the Arab presence in future sciences and space exploration”.
An integral part of the technology provided by the NSSA will be the development of cameras to “meet the stringent standards suitable for the harsh lunar environment,” a vital element of the rover’s navigation subsystem. Of the four cameras specially designed by the NSSA, two will be employed to create stereoscopic images for determining distances on the lunar service, while the other two will monitor the movement of the rover’s wheels.
