China and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have signed a memorandum of understanding, through which China will help the UAE land its first rover on the moon.

The agreement, signed on Friday, between the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) and the China National Space Administration (CNSA) for a future moon exploration mission.

This November, the UAE plans to launch its first Moon mission, which involves a 10-kilogram rover called Rashid. According to the agreement, China will assist the UAE in landing the rover on the moon, data transmission, as well as monitoring and control.

This is the first cooperation between the two countries in the space sector.

Established in 2006, the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre is responsible for developing the UAE’s national space programme.

The centre includes more than 200 engineers working in the UAE Satellite Program, the UAE Astronaut Program, the UAE Mars Exploration Mission, and the Mars 2117 Program.