The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has unveiled an audacious plan to send a spacecraft on an epic journey through the solar system's main asteroid belt, according to a report by AP.
Following the successful launch of the Hope spacecraft to Mars in 2020, the Emirates Mission to the Asteroid Belt marks another ambitious venture by the oil-rich nation.
With a vision to develop a spacecraft in the coming years, the UAE aims to launch this remarkable endeavor in 2028, directing its attention toward the study of various asteroids.
Building Upon the Success of the Mars Mission
According to Mohsen Al Awadhi, the program director of the Emirates Mission to the Asteroid Belt, this new mission holds great importance and builds upon the success of the Mars mission.
He highlights that the Mars mission was the first of its kind from the region, and this asteroid exploration mission follows a similar path.
It aims to achieve another remarkable feat by becoming the first-ever mission to explore these seven specific asteroids, embarking on a groundbreaking grand tour of the region.
The UAE made history as the first Arab country and the second nation ever to successfully enter Mars' orbit on its initial attempt, achieving this feat with the Hope probe's arrival in February 2021.
The explorer, aptly named MBR after Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai's ruler and the UAE's vice president and prime minister, will chart its course toward Venus, harnessing the planet's gravitational pull to slingshot back past Earth before setting its sights on Mars.
The probe aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the Martian atmosphere and its layers while also unraveling the mysteries surrounding the planet's climate and composition.
Should the new spacecraft prove successful, it will traverse the cosmos at speeds of up to 33,000 kilometers per hour during a seven-year expedition to explore six asteroids. The culmination of this interstellar odyssey will witness the deployment of a landing craft onto a rare "red" asteroid, believed to hold vital clues about the fundamental ingredients of life on Earth.
This celestial quest stands as a momentous milestone for the UAE Space Agency, established in 2014. Building on the triumph of the Amal probe, which embarked on a mission to Mars, this interplanetary journey will span a distance over ten times greater than the previous Mars mission.
Eventually, the craft will navigate the asteroid belt, maneuvering as close as 150 kilometers to these cosmic rocks and traversing a staggering distance of 5 billion kilometers.
Ultimate Manuever
By October 2034, the spacecraft will initiate its ultimate maneuver, setting its sights on Justitia, the seventh and final asteroid in its trajectory. This significant phase will reach its climax over a year later with the deployment of a lander.
Justitia, renowned as one of the two exceedingly uncommon red asteroids, captivates scientists with its surface that holds the tantalizing possibility of being rich in organic substances.
The exploration of Justitia promises to unveil captivating insights into the composition and characteristics of this enigmatic celestial body.
As the UAE sets its sights on the vast expanse of the solar system, its pursuit of cosmic knowledge promises to push the boundaries of human exploration and pave the way for groundbreaking discoveries that could reshape our understanding of the universe and our place within it.
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