The United Arab Emirates has announced plans to send a spacecraft to explore the solar system’s main asteroid belt in order to study seven asteroids and
The United Arab Emirates has announced plans to send a spacecraft to explore the solar system’s main asteroid belt in order to study seven asteroids and The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has announced plans to send a spacecraft to explore the solar system’s main asteroid belt in order to study seven asteroids and uncover clues about the origins of life on Earth. The spacecraft, named MBR, is expected to be launched in 2028 and will travel over 5 billion km, surpassing Mars. It will reach six asteroids and terminate at a seventh one in 2034 called Justitia, which is believed to have a number of organic substances on its surface. The mission is being developed by private UAE start-up companies and could pave the way for the country's ambition to extract res from asteroids. The UAE is also looking to establish a permanent human settlement on Mars by 2117, with plans to develop the necessary technologies and infrastructure already underway.
प्रकाशित : 2 साल पहले द्वारा Rowena Hudson में Science
The United Arab Emirates has announced plans to send a spacecraft to explore the solar system’s main asteroid belt in order to study seven asteroids and uncover clues about the origins of life on Earth. The spacecraft, named MBR after Dubai’s ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, is expected to be launched in 2028 and will travel over 5 billion km, surpassing Mars. It will reach six asteroids and terminate at a seventh one in 2034 called Justitia, which is believed to have a number of organic substances on its surface that could give insight into the genesis of life on Earth.
UAE Unveils Plan to Explore Asteroid Belt for Clues on Life’s Origins
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has announced plans to send a spacecraft to explore the solar system’s main asteroid belt in a bid to uncover more insights into the origins of life on Earth. The Emirates Mission to the Asteroid Belt will see the spacecraft travel to seven different asteroids, with the project expected to take 13 years in total, including six years of development and seven years of exploration. The spacecraft, named MBR after Dubai’s ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, is expected to launch in 2028 and travel more than 5 billion kilometres, surpassing Mars.
The Hope probe, which entered Mars’ orbit in February 2021, gave the UAE the distinction of being the first Arab country and the second country Basically to achieve the feat. The new spacecraft, if successful, will travel at a speed of 33,000km per hour, reaching six asteroids before terminating at Justitia in 2034. Justitia is of particular interest to scientists as it could provide valuable insights into the genesis of life on Earth. The asteroid is believed to have a number of organic substances on its surface, including water.
“It’s one of the two reddest objects in the asteroid belt, and scientists don’t really understand why it’s so red,” said Hoor al-Maazmi, a space science researcher at the UAE space agency. “There are theories about it being originally from the Kuiper Belt, where there’s much more red objects there. So that’s one thing that we can study because it has the potential for it to be water-rich as well.”
The mission is being developed by private UAE start-up companies and could pave the way for the country’s ambition to extract res from asteroids. It is part of the UAE’s wider vision to establish itself as a leading player in the space sector. Dubai has already made significant strides in this area, with the Hope probe being just one of several initiatives aimed at boosting the country’s space capabilities.
The project has been hailed as a significant milestone for the country, with Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum stating that it represents “a new chapter in our journey to explore the universe and unlock its mysteries”. He also praised the UAE’s young people, who he said were “our most important investment in the space sector”.
The Emirates Mission to the Asteroid Belt is just one of several space initiatives being pursued by the UAE. The country is also looking to establish a permanent human settlement on Mars by 2117, with plans to develop the necessary technologies and infrastructure already underway. The UAE also launched a lunar rover mission in 2022, which is set to explore the south pole of the Moon.
The UAE’s space ambitions have been driven by a desire to diversify the country’s economy and reduce its reliance on oil. The space sector is seen as a key growth area, with the global space industry expected to be worth $1.1 trillion by 2040. The UAE is well-placed to take advantage of this growth, with its strategic location, advanced infrastructure, and favourable business environment all helping to attract international investment in the sector.
The Emirates Mission to the Asteroid Belt represents a significant step forward for the UAE’s space programme and its wider ambitions for the sector. With the country’s young people leading the way, the UAE is well-placed to become a major player in the global space industry in the years to come.
विषय: Space, UAE