The names of the seven asteroids the UAE plans to explore have been revealed in a paper that will be presented to a conference in the US next month.
In 2021, the UAE Space Agency announced a mission to the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter with a launch planned for 2028.
The spacecraft would fly by six asteroids and attempt a landing on a seventh. To get there, it would need gravity assistance from Earth, Venus and Mars.
The seven asteroids are 10253 Westerwald, 623 Chimaera, 13294 Rockox, 88055, 23871, 59980 and a landing attempt will be made on 269 Justitia.
The mission will be the most challenging to be undertaken yet by the UAE’s space programme, with a total journey of 3.6 billion kilometres – seven times the distance the Hope probe travelled to reach Mars in February 2021.
University of Colorado Boulder is working with the UAE Space Agency to make this mission possible, as they did with the Emirates Mars Mission.
"The mission is an exploration that will fly though the inner Solar System and then investigate asteroids in the main belt between Mars and Jupiter," the paper said.
The primary objectives of the programme are resources, technologies and fundamental science.
"Additional, high-priority objectives are innovation, public engagement and the development of space sector industry infrastructure in the UAE," the paper said.
Details of the mission are to be presented at the Asteroids, Comets, Meteors Conference in Flagstaff, Arizona, next month.
Studying a rare asteroid
The 269 Justitia is a rare asteroid beyond the orbit of Neptune that the UAE spacecraft will study.
Discovered in 1887, the space rock has a reddish hue that has puzzled scientists.
"The primary science goal is to probe the origin and evolution of water-rich asteroids, with a focus on three main questions," the paper said.
"Where did the volatile-rich asteroids form and are these asteroids linked to specific meteorites? What does their chemical inventory and volatile abundances tell us about main belt evolution?"
To answer these questions, the mission will determine the geologic history and volatile content of multiple main belt asteroids and investigate the interior structure of the rendezvous target.
It would also determine temperatures and thermophysical properties on multiple asteroids to assess their surface evolution and volatile histories.
"Using a suite of remote sensing instruments, the mission will make up-close observations of seven asteroids, including a rendezvous with (269) Justitia, a 54km diameter extremely red object with possible origins in the distant solar system," the paper said.
"Among the flyby targets are (623) Chimaera, the largest remnant of the primitive C-type Chimaera family, and members of the Baptistina, Eos, Erigone, and Euterpe families.
"Five of the seven targets are C-complex, allowing the mission to characterise a diverse set of carbonaceous bodies, some potentially rich in phyllosilicates, that form a key piece of the puzzle of early solar system formation and its subsequent dynamical evolution."
Electric spacecraft
The spacecraft will use a solar electric propulsion system for flybys, as well as gravity assistance of Venus, Earth and Mars.
The name of the spacecraft has not been revealed yet.
There will be several payloads on the spacecraft, including remote sensing instruments such as a visible narrow-angle camera, a mid-wave infrared spectrometer, a thermal infrared spectrometer and camera.
"Each of these instruments acquires data during asteroid flyby observations and during rendezvous and proximity operations with (269) Justitia," the paper said.
Through the project, the space agency hopes to boost the private space sector in the UAE.
Start-ups and established companies will build about 50 per cent of the spacecraft, helping the national economy.
For decades, space programmes were government-run, but now the private sector has become a major player.
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Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, Emma Corrin
Director: Shawn Levy
Rating: 3/5
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Starring: Alia Bhatt, Vedang Raina, Manoj Pahwa, Harsh Singh
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Fixtures
Wednesday
4.15pm: Japan v Spain (Group A)
5.30pm: UAE v Italy (Group A)
6.45pm: Russia v Mexico (Group B)
8pm: Iran v Egypt (Group B)
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ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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FIXTURES
All games 6pm UAE on Sunday:
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Chelsea v Wolves
Crystal Palace v Tottenham
Everton v Bournemouth
Leicester v Man United
Man City v Norwich
Newcastle v Liverpool
Southampton v Sheffield United
West Ham v Aston Villa
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Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
MATCH INFO
Champions League quarter-final, first leg
Manchester United v Barcelona, Wednesday, 11pm (UAE)
Match on BeIN Sports
Match info
Bournemouth 0
Liverpool 4 (Salah 25', 48', 76', Cook 68' OG)
Man of the match: Andrew Robertson (Liverpool)
What drives subscription retailing?
Once the domain of newspaper home deliveries, subscription model retailing has combined with e-commerce to permeate myriad products and services.
The concept has grown tremendously around the world and is forecast to thrive further, according to UnivDatos Market Insights’ report on recent and predicted trends in the sector.
The global subscription e-commerce market was valued at $13.2 billion (Dh48.5bn) in 2018. It is forecast to touch $478.2bn in 2025, and include the entertainment, fitness, food, cosmetics, baby care and fashion sectors.
The report says subscription-based services currently constitute “a small trend within e-commerce”. The US hosts almost 70 per cent of recurring plan firms, including leaders Dollar Shave Club, Hello Fresh and Netflix. Walmart and Sephora are among longer established retailers entering the space.
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Personal care and beauty occupy the largest chunk of the worldwide subscription e-commerce market, with changing lifestyles, work schedules, customisation and convenience among the chief future drivers.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
MATCH INFO
Manchester United 2
(Martial 30', McTominay 90 6')
Manchester City 0
Defence review at a glance
• Increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 but given “turbulent times it may be necessary to go faster”
• Prioritise a shift towards working with AI and autonomous systems
• Invest in the resilience of military space systems.
• Number of active reserves should be increased by 20%
• More F-35 fighter jets required in the next decade
• New “hybrid Navy” with AUKUS submarines and autonomous vessels
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Norwich City 1 (Cantwell 75') Manchester United 2 (Aghalo 51' 118') After extra time.
Man of the match Harry Maguire (Manchester United)
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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MATCH INFO
Manchester City 3 (Sterling 46', De Bruyne 65', Gundogan 70')
Aston Villa 0
Red card: Fernandinho (Manchester City)
Man of the Match: Raheem Sterling (Manchester City)
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2018 ICC World Twenty20 Asian Western Regional Qualifier
Saturday results
Qatar beat Kuwait by 26 runs
Bahrain beat Maldives by six wickets
UAE beat Saudi Arabia by seven wickets
Monday fixtures
Maldives v Qatar
Saudi Arabia v Kuwait
Bahrain v UAE
* The top three teams progress to the Asia Qualifier
When Umm Kulthum performed in Abu Dhabi
Known as The Lady of Arabic Song, Umm Kulthum performed in Abu Dhabi on November 28, 1971, as part of celebrations for the fifth anniversary of the accession of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan as Ruler of Abu Dhabi. A concert hall was constructed for the event on land that is now Al Nahyan Stadium, behind Al Wahda Mall. The audience were treated to many of Kulthum's most well-known songs as part of the sold-out show, including Aghadan Alqak and Enta Omri.
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