The UAE Space Agency has provided further details about its mission to explore an asteroid belt located between Mars and Jupiter. Building on the success of the Hope Mars orbiter, the mission has been named Emirates Mission to the Asteroid Belt (EMA) and will be launched on the MBR Explorer spacecraft.
Initially announced in October 2021, the mission is now scheduled for launch in 2028. Its objective is to visit seven different asteroids, including a landing on the asteroid known as (269) Justitia.
The space agency described EMA as a groundbreaking mission, marking the first extensive tour of the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. Landing on (269) Justitia, a spectrally red asteroid, is considered a historic achievement.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the UAE’s vice president, prime minister, and ruler of Dubai, expressed his country’s commitment to advancing its presence in space, emphasizing the pursuit of a brighter future for future generations.
Alongside the UAE Space Agency, several entities will participate in the mission, including YahSat, UAE University, TII, Khalifa University, and NYUAD.
After the launch in 2028, the MBR Explorer will reach its first asteroid in 2030, followed by flybys of six more asteroids, namely (10254) Westerwald, (623) Chimaera, (13294) Rockox, (88055) 2000 VA28, (23871) 1998 RC76, and (59980) 1999 SG6. These asteroids have different compositions, providing valuable insights into various classes of asteroids.
Equipped with four scientific instruments, including high-resolution and thermal infrared cameras, as well as spectrometers, the MBR Explorer will study the geology, composition, and structure of the asteroids.
The most challenging part of the mission will be the landing on Justitia, a red asteroid, in 2034. While Justitia and Chimaera have a diameter of 50 kilometers, the remaining asteroids are relatively small, measuring less than 10 kilometers across.
Some astrophysicists speculate that life on Earth may have originated from a rogue asteroid impact billions of years ago. Given this theory, there is interest in exploring Justitia, as it could potentially possess the necessary building blocks for sustaining life. Landing on Justitia will allow the UAE to put this theory to the test.
Despite being established less than a decade ago, the UAE Space Agency has achieved remarkable progress. In 2020, the Hope Mars orbiter became the first Arab spacecraft to successfully reach Mars on its first attempt, showcasing the agency’s significant accomplishments.
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