What does UAE’s first moon mission have to do with Chennai?

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, the company’s founder, said the structure was developed over two years using carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP), magnesium and aluminum alloy. ST Advanced Composites is an eight year old company.

Also read- Are you ready for a debate? South African artist William Kentridge for art lovers at Kochi Biennale

“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,” said Thirunavukarasu.

He said that if the Rashid rover lands on the surface of the moon, it will have 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.

Read also- A young man bitten by a pet cat dies after four years; Carnivorous bacteria in the bloodstream is the cause of death

After receiving the contract from the United Arab Emirates, Rashid had started discussions on optimizing the roaming, 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 has been tested in different places including France and the United States.

After testing, approval was given to produce the flying model. The company completed its construction in June 2022. The founder of the company also says that the supply chain was not hindered as it was a mission of the UAE government. Because there are flights from Chennai to Dubai every day. His weight wasn’t a problem either, he said.

Also Read – Thiruvananthapuram Ponmudi entry for tourists restricted from Friday

Meanwhile, the Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates Rashid Al Maktoum said that the Rashid rover has sent its first message to the space center in Al Khawaneej, 440,000 kilometers from Earth. He said that all the equipment and systems of the Rashid rover are working properly and that the lander will reach the moon in the coming months.

This is not the first time that ST Advanced Composites has introduced space missions. But this is the first time the company has prepared 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. He also works for a private satellite manufacturer,” he explained.