An Arab probe lands on asteroids
The “Hope” research probe was the first interplanetary mission of the United Arab Emirates
Coyle: The UAE Space Agency
The United States, Japan and Europe have already launched investigations into asteroids. The United Arab Emirates will become the fourth country to plan such a mission. It is also about strengthening the country’s economy.
aIn early 2021, a research probe from the United Arab Emirates reached the planet Mars. Since then “Al-Amal“(Hope) is the Red Planet and collects data on atmospheric composition and interactions. The goal is to capture the entire Martian climate over the course of an entire Martian year.
The UAE Space Agency has now announced another space mission. A probe of the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter is scheduled to launch in 2028.
Most of the meteorites that hit Earth have their origin there. Exploration of asteroids can provide insight into the early stages of the solar system because they are material that has remained unchanged since the formation of the planetary system.
Osiris Rex collected materials from Bennu
The research probe aims to explore seven asteroids and eventually land on one of these cosmic vagabonds. Such tasks have already been completed by the United States, Japan and Europe.
In 2020, for example, NASA’s “Osiris-Rex” probe collected a physical sample of the asteroid Bennu, 330 million kilometers away. The American probe is currently on a trip back to Earth. The landing is scheduled for September 24, 2023.
The journey begins in the opposite direction
European research inquiryelephants“On Khoury’s Comet. And the Japanese brought their expeditions”Hayabusa 1” And “Hayabusa 2“Already twice from the asteroid to Earth. The UAE will be the fourth country to land a probe on an asteroid – if all goes according to plan.
The UAE probe’s journey to asteroids on the other side of Mars’ orbit begins, at first, in the opposite direction. The probe will first visit the neighboring inner planet Venus and arrive there in mid-2028 with swing momentum for a journey beyond.
Another such maneuver will take place in 2029 when the UAE probe flies across the Earth. These gravitational maneuvers are common on interplanetary missions because they help save fuel.
The probe’s journey will take a total of five years. It will cover 3.6 billion km. The flight path point closest to the Sun will be 109 million kilometers from the central star. This already makes special measures of thermal protection necessary.
The first asteroid will be visited in 2030
The research probe will be at a maximum distance from the Sun at 448 million km in the asteroid belt. This, in turn, means that the probe’s solar cells are exposed to very little corresponding sunlight and the instruments on board have to deal with very little power.
The first approach of an asteroid is expected to occur in 2030. The highlight of the research mission will be the landing of the Sun on an asteroid 560 million km from Earth. This is a blueprint for 2033.
Cooperation with an American university
Concrete scientific goals have yet to be determined. We are still in the concept stage. Scientific questions will be asked at the beginning of 2022. Based on this, the exact specifications of the required devices are then determined.
As with the Mars project, the mission will be carried out in close cooperation with the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP) In the University of Colorado Performed in Boulder. In addition to scientific research, Emirati space missions aim to enhance the country’s capabilities in the field of space engineering, build a knowledge-based economy, and train scientists and engineers.
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