The United Arab Emirates and the conquest of Space

 

The United Arab Emirates and the conquest of Space

    The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has been actively pursuing space exploration and development in recent years. In 2019, the UAE sent its first astronaut to the International Space Station, marking a significant milestone in the country's space program. In 2020, the UAE also launched its Mars mission, "Hope Probe", which aims to study the Martian atmosphere and climate. Additionally, the UAE is building its own satellite manufacturing industry and investing in space-based technologies such as remote sensing, telecommunication, and navigation. These initiatives demonstrate the UAE's commitment to becoming a major player in the global space industry and its desire to advance its technological and scientific capabilities.

   Along with NASA's Perseverance rover, the United Arab Emirates (Hope) and China (Tianwen-1) orbiters have been orbiting Mars for various scientific purposes. Emirates' Hope Orbiter was intended to complete one orbit around Mars and record changes in its atmosphere or climate throughout the year. The mission has completed its mission and its data is being processed.

    Now the UAE will become the fifth country in the world to send its mission to the moon, which is a rover, in which Russia first sent its Lunakhod 1 mission, then the missions of the United States and China and one mission of India ( Chandaryan2) also went which failed to land successfully and both the lander and the rover were destroyed. Currently, there is only one rover on the moon, Yutu-2, which belongs to China and is exploring the far side of the moon, which is not visible from Earth.

    Now the Emirates is sending its moon rover named Rashid Rover which will be launched with the Japanese lander (Hakuto-R 1) from the American company SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket. The launch date is December 1.

    This 10 kg rover, built by Emirati engineers, is equipped with 2 high-resolution cameras, 1 microscope camera and instruments for examining lunar soil (regolith). The rover's mission duration is to spend a full lunar day (29 Earth days) on the lunar surface, taking thousands of pictures of the lunar surface and studying the geology of the lunar soil.

The UAE's investment in space exploration and development also reflects its vision for a sustainable future. By participating in space-related projects, the country is positioning itself at the forefront of innovation and progress. The UAE's space program serves as a source of inspiration and motivation for future generations, encouraging them to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. With its continued efforts, the UAE is poised to make significant contributions to the advancement of space exploration and technology, positioning itself as a leader in the region and beyond.

The Emirates Space Agency is planning another mission to Mars.