The UAE has announced plans to launch a spacecraft to the asteroid belt in 2028. The mission called the Emirates Mission to the Asteroid Belt (EMA), will visit seven different space rocks and land on one of them – an asteroid called Justitia.
The spacecraft, named the MBR Explorer after Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, Ruler of Dubai, will take an orbital path and gain speed from several planets along the way. The EMA will visit its first asteroid in 2030.
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The mission’s primary objective is to land on Justitia in 2034 with a small lander that will deploy from the MBR Explorer.
Justitia is of particular interest to scientists because it may be rich in organic molecules, the building blocks of complex molecules that could have the potential to form life.
The mission aims to provide valuable information about the early stages of the solar system and the formation of planets.
The spacecraft will utilize gravity assists from planets such as Venus or Mars to conserve fuel and conduct side observations to test its instruments.
The UAE’s announcement of the EMA mission marks a significant milestone in space exploration and underscores the country’s commitment to developing a brighter future for its young generations. The mission has the potential to provide invaluable insights into the origins of life, as well as advance our understanding of the solar system’s formation.
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