(UAE Space Agency)
The United Arab Emirates has announced the launch of its first asteroid exploration program, which will launch an interplanetary vehicle in 2028.
In five years, the spacecraft must fly around Venus and visit seven main belt asteroids, one of which he will land.
The UAE started its space program not so long ago. The first satellite, DubaiSat-1, went into low-earth orbit in 2009, and in 2019 the country's first astronaut arrived on the ISS.
Subsequently, several more satellites were launched into space, and an interplanetary program was launched last year.
Last year, the Al Amal station went to Mars, which is now exploring the planet's atmosphere.
And the Rashid lunar rover is also being developed, which will go to the Moon in the second half of 2022.
On October 8, 2021, UAE Vice President Mohammed Ibn Rashid announced the start of work on a project for a new interplanetary probe.
The purpose of the mission will be to explore seven asteroids in the Main Belt, located between Mars and Jupiter.
The spacecraft is expected to take 7 years to complete, and will involve the University of Colorado Boulder's Atmospheric and Space Physics Laboratory, which previously assisted the UAE with the creation of Al Amal.
The launch of the new interplanetary mission into space is scheduled for 2028 and will last for 5 years.
At first, the device will make gravity assist maneuvers near Venus and Earth, then in 2030 it will visit four asteroids, in 2031 - one more, and in 2032 - two more
The last asteroid should become the final point for the device, which will try to land on its surface.
The scientific data obtained during the operation of the probe will help scientists learn more about the formation of the solar system.
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