UAE To Send Spaceship To Asteroid Belt To Find Origin Of Life

In a move that would certainly gladden the science lovers, the United Arab Emirets (UAE) is planning to send a spacecraft to explore the solar system's main asteroid belt in order to unearth clues about the origins of life on Earth.

The oil-rich nation became the first Arab country and the second country ever to successfully enter Mars' orbit on its first try when its Hope spacecraft reached the red planet in February 2021. Emboldened by the success of its Mars mission, the country has come up with the latest plan for the Emirates Mission to the Asteroid Belt (EMAB).

The UAE plans to launch the mission in 2028 which will study seven asteroids which constitute the belt that lies between Mars and Jupiter. The nation's MBR Explorer will visit its first asteroid in 2030 and after passing six asteroids, it will touch down upon Justitia in 2034 with a small lander.

The six asteroids the probe will flyby are Westerwald, Chimaera, Rockox, 2000 VA28, 1998 RC76, and 1999 SG6. Justitia is particularly interesting to scientists because it is thought to have originated from beyond the orbit of Neptune, and research has shown evidence of the presence of "organic molecules", considered as the building blocks of life, there.

The spacecraft is named 'MBR' after its leader Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. To extend current knowledge, the mission will have four science instruments -- two spectrometers, a high-resolution optical camera, and an infrared camera -- which will be used to study features of the asteroids like their geology and composition.

The UAE says the 13-year project will consist of a six-year development period followed by seven years of exploration by the spacecraft. "MBR Explorer's journey to the the Asteroid Belt will span over 5 billion kilometres, surpassing Mars, as we explore 7 asteroids and ultimately land on Justitia in 2034," its Dubai media office tweeted.

"The remarkable journey will be 10 times the distance covered by the Hope Probe. For Emiratis, our motto will always be 'nothing is impossible'," it added.

.@HHShkMohd: At Qasr Al Watan, we unveiled the details of one of our most important projects in the space sector: Emirates Mission to the Asteroid Belt. This ambitious 13-year project involves 6 years of development and 7 years of exploration. MBR Explorer’s journey to the the… pic.twitter.com/LUzbarKhFX

— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) May 29, 2023

Studying asteroids is an important way to learn about the history of the solar system, as the material that makes up asteroids can be almost pristine, dating back to the formation of the solar system around 4 billion years ago. Recent missions like NASA's OSIRIS-REx and Japan's Hayabusa2 have demonstrated the feasibility of visiting asteroids and collecting valuable scientific data.