In a ground-breaking announcement, the UAE Space Agency has revealed its plans for an extraordinary space mission beyond Mars. Codenamed Max, the project aims to push the limits of Emirati engineers and the private space sector, propelling the nation's space ambitions to new heights.
The idea for this mission was conceived about a year prior to the historic launch of the UAE's Hope probe to Mars in 2020. Seeking to capitalize on the knowledge gained from the Mars mission, the agency envisioned a voyage to the main asteroid belt situated between Mars and Jupiter, a staggering 5 billion kilometers away. This distance dwarfs the journey to Mars, which the Hope probe successfully accomplished in February 2021.
Sarah Al Amiri, Minister of State for Public Education and Advanced Technology and chairwoman of the UAE Space Agency, spoke exclusively to The National about the agency's vision. She explained that discussions about post-Mars missions had already begun prior to the Hope probe's launch, with the aim of harnessing the capabilities developed during the Mars mission and leveraging them for future ventures.
Initially considering a second mission to the Moon's surface, the agency eventually settled on an audacious plan to journey to the asteroid belt. Al Amiri stated that this decision would "up the game" and allow for the design of a more advanced spacecraft while offering intriguing scientific opportunities.
Over the course of four years, the agency meticulously crafted the project, shrouded in secrecy under the name "multiple asteroid exploration" or Max. In 2021, some details of the mission were disclosed, but it remained nameless and lacked a definitive scientific plan and spacecraft design.
Now, the UAE has finally unveiled the Emirates Mission to the Asteroid Belt (EMA) on Sunday. The centrepiece of the mission is the MBR Explorer, named after Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai. The spacecraft is scheduled to embark on its 13-year-long journey in 2028, with six years dedicated to its development and seven years for the flight to the asteroid belt.
The MBR Explorer will conduct fly-bys of six asteroids and then endeavour to land on the seventh, while also performing fly-bys of Venus, Earth, and Mars along the way to the asteroid belt.
Al Amiri expressed gratitude for the government's support and funding, emphasizing that the approval to proceed with this ambitious program marked a pivotal moment in the UAE's space exploration endeavours.
As the UAE continues to captivate the world with its space missions, the Emirates Mission to the Asteroid Belt represents a significant leap forward in the nation's pursuit of scientific knowledge and technological excellence. The project showcases the country's determination to make ground-breaking contributions to space exploration, firmly establishing its position on the global space map.
Source
https://www.thenationalnews.com/uae/2023/05/29/codename-max-the-inside-story-of-the-uaes-mission-to-the-main-asteroid-belt/