The Exploration Company to Test Lunar Hopper in the UAE in 2027

The Exploration Company has announced that it will test an experimental lunar hopper vehicle named "ONEIROS" in the United Arab Emirates during 2027, under a Memorandum of Understanding with the UAE Space Agency.

The privately funded experimental vehicle weighs around one ton and is powered by a throttleable methane engine, featuring autonomous navigation and hazard avoidance systems during landing.

ONEIROS is expected to be followed by another vehicle named "Hilal", which will verify precision landing as well as methane and oxygen propulsion on the lunar surface.

Conducting the test in the UAE gives the country a role in testing lunar landing technologies ahead of actual missions, technologies required by any surface landing mission. This development is of interest to research entities and companies operating in the regional space sector, as it opens the door to similar tests on its soil.

What Do These Terms Mean?

Lunar Hopper: A vehicle designed to travel across the lunar surface in short hops instead of rolling on wheels, allowing it to bypass craters and rocks.

Memorandum of Understanding: A preliminary agreement between two parties that outlines the framework for their cooperation without legally binding them to a final contract.

Methane Propulsion: A propulsion system that uses methane as fuel alongside liquid oxygen, preferred in long space missions due to its ease of handling and storage.

Precision Landing: The touchdown of a spacecraft at a precisely defined location on the lunar surface, rather than landing within a broad area.