UAE unveils lander for bold 7-asteroid mission set to launch in 2028 (photos)
In March 2028, the UAE is set to launch an ambitious mission to the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter that will culminate with a landing attempt on a mysteriously reddish space rock.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has announced plans for an ambitious mission to explore seven asteroids in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. The mission, set to launch in 2028, will culminate in a landing on the red asteroid 269 Justitia. A half-scale model of the lander was unveiled at a press conference in Abu Dhabi, indicating the spacecraft's readiness for integration with the main spacecraft MBR Explorer.
The UAE Space Agency's mission director, Mohsen al-Awadhi, emphasized the critical timing of the launch window, stating that missing the three-week launch window would effectively cancel the mission. Once in deep space, the lander will operate autonomously, with no communication from Earth. The mission's unique objective is to study the 50 km-wide, crimson-hued asteroid 269 Justitia, which has piqued scientists' interest due to its potential to provide insights into the early solar system's formation and the presence of water and organic compounds.
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