The UAE’s first mission to the moon was launched on December 11. It also has a connection with India. The structure of the Rashid rover that will fly to the moon has been developed by Chennai-based startup ST Advanced Composites.
Devendra Thirunavukkarasu, founder of the company, said the structure was developed over two years using carbon fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP), magnesium alloy and aluminum. ST Advanced Composites is an eight year old company.
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“90 percent of the Rashid Rover was manufactured by their company. “It has about 40 parts, including its structure, wheels, solar panels and camera holder,” Thirunavukarasu said.
He said that if the Rashid rover lands on the lunar surface, it will be equipped with sensors to check soil moisture and perform a number of other tests. By the end of December 2020, the company had started preparations for the Rashid rover.
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After receiving the contract from the UAE, Rashid had started discussions on optimization of the rover, material thickness etc. A ground test model has been built by the end of 2021, he added. Thirunavukarasu also explained that the ground test model was tested in various places including France and the US.
After testing, approval was given for production of the flight model. The company completed its construction in June 2022. The founder of the company also says that the supply chain was not hampered as it was a mission of the UAE government. Because there are flights from Chennai to Dubai every day. Its weight was not a problem either, he said.
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Meanwhile, UAE Prime Minister Rashid Al Maktoum said the Rashid rover had sent its first message to the space center in Al Khawaneej, 440,000 kilometers from Earth. He said that all the instruments and systems of the Rashid rover are working properly and the lander will reach the moon in the coming months.
This is not the first time that ST Advanced Composites has come forward with space missions. But this is the first time the company is preparing for a lunar mission. ST Advanced Composites has collaborated with the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) and other private-sector companies in the country.
“We are trying to get a big project from ISRO. We are also working on projects like Chandrayaan 2 and Mangalyaan. It is also working for a private satellite manufacturer,” he clarified.
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