The UAE has launched a new space project, the 'Emirates Mission to the Asteroid Belt'.
The 13-year space project will allow for six years to build the spacecraft, the 'MBR Explorer', and the next seven years will see the spacecraft exploring seven asteroids in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.
Set to launch into space during a three week period in March 2028, the spacecraft will explore the seven asteroids, before landing on the last asteroid in 2034.
The aim of the mission is to understand the functioning of the solar system, as well as assess the origins of the asteroid belt, while preparing for the possible extraction of resources from asteroids.
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai said, "The Emirates Mission to the Asteroid Belt will cover 10 times the distance covered by the 'Hope Probe'. Emirati youth believe in the motto that 'The Impossible is Possible'. The secret behind our 5-billion-kilometre space mission is our belief in the capabilities of our youth, and our efforts to support them in achieving their ambitions."