Ancient moon rock and meteorite from Mars are part of Expo 2020 Dubai’s magnificent space show

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Visitors daring to make their way to the international pavilions of Expo 2020 Dubai will see fascinating space objects such as moon rocks and Martian meteorites.

As a new era of space exploration gains momentum, many countries will use the World Expo platform to highlight their stellar achievements.

France, the United States, Russia and the host country, the United Arab Emirates, are among the participants who share a treasure of objects brought back to Earth.

The six-month extravaganza kicks off on October 1, with millions of visitors expected from around the world.

The National highlights some of the most interesting space shows that visitors can experience during the World’s Fair.

Marvel at the Moon at the American Pavilion

One of the largest samples of lunar rock collected during the Apollo missions is on display.

Marine basalt is estimated to be around 3.75 billion years old and older than almost any rock on the Earth’s surface.

“Visitors will approach a real lunar sample. American astronaut Jack Schmitt collected it near the moon landing site of the Apollo 17 lunar module. It is one of the largest samples brought back from the moon, ”said Matthew Asada, deputy commissioner general of the pavilion. the United States. The National.

“The theme of the United States Pavilion ‘Life, Freedom and the Pursuit of the Future’ is strongly linked to the achievements of the United States in space.

“One of the show’s top attractions is an immersive eight-minute media show that explores the future of American technological advancements in the current century and beyond.

“This experience touches on the biggest and boldest ideas the United States has to offer and showcases the cutting edge of what’s possible – from the democratization of space to quantum computing and more.”

A Martian meteorite sample found during the 2012-2013 season in Antarctica will also be on display.

Other highlights include a model of the Mars Opportunity Rover, which landed on the planet in 2004 and “died” in 2018 due to a dust storm.

Visitors will also be able to see a live feed from the Mars Perseverance rover, one of NASA’s most expensive and ambitious Mars missions to date.

“And finally, when visitors exit the pavilion, they will be greeted by the tallest structure at the Expo 2020 site by an international participant – a 43-meter SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket,” said Asada.

“Standing as an example of sustainability in action, Falcon 9 is the world’s first reusable orbital-class rocket, enabling the most expensive parts to be reused, dramatically reducing the cost of space travel. “

The United States has a habit of celebrating its accomplishments in space at world exhibitions.

The Seattle Space Needle in the US state of Washington was built for the 1962 exhibit, which was themed “The Space Age”.

At the 1964 World’s Fair in New York, the United States Space Park exhibited rockets and spacecraft.

A French astronaut calls from space

French astronaut Thomas Pesquet will address visitors to Al Wasl Plaza in October on a live call from the International Space Station.

Mr. Pesquet flew to the space station on April 23 aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon and became the first French commander of the ISS.

He gathered a large following on social media with his remarkable images of the Earth.

Erik Linquier, Commissioner General for France at Expo 2020 Dubai, said The National that the astronaut will visit the event in person in 2022.

“He is at the ISS at the moment but he will be present in the pavilion, probably in January or February,” he said.

A “journey to Mars” function will be part of the main exhibition at the France Pavilion, where visitors will be transported virtually to the red planet through interactive exhibits.

From October 20 to 23, visitors will be able to observe colorful galaxies and nebulae with an advanced telescope provided to the France Pavilion by Unistellar.

“Space is really important because for us it is clearly linked to the main theme of the Expo, when you talk about smart and sustainable cities,” Mr. Linquier said.

“Much of the information and actions that will be used to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals pass through space, be it meteorological, geographic or geological, geographic or geological information.

Russia star appears

The trailer for a Russian commercial film shot on the ISS from October 5 to 17 will be unveiled at the Russian pavilion.

The film, titled The challenge, follows the story of a Russian doctor who is sent to the space station to save the life of a cosmonaut.

Russian actress Yulia Peresild and award-winning director Klim Shipenko will fly into space for the film.

“They have been preparing since May, undertaking intensive training and preparing for the flight,” said Yekaterina Pribytkova, director of international communications at the Russian flag. The National.

“The film, in my opinion, represents the story of the two characters, as well as the challenges the actress might face while filming in space.

“And, more importantly, it shows Russia’s innovations in space.”

The former Soviet Union has long exhibited its space achievements at exhibitions, around the same time the first space age took off.

At the 1958 exhibition in Brussels, the USSR presented models of two satellites launched two months before the Universal Exhibition.

A special exhibit celebrating Yuri Gagarin, the first man to fly in space, was shown at the 1961 exhibit in Turin, Italy.

UAE celebrates historic achievements

Some of the UAE’s greatest achievements in space will be celebrated at the National Pavilion.

These include sending the first Emirati astronaut, Hazza Al Mansouri, to the ISS, launching the first Arab mission to Mars, building the first lunar rover, and selecting the first female Arab astronaut.

A space-themed show at the Al Wasl Dome will highlight the UAE’s progress in space in colorful projections.

Space Week at Expo 2020

Space will be one of the thematic weeks of the exhibition.

From October 17 to 23, astronauts, policymakers, scientists and other space leaders will meet to discuss progress in this area.

The event will take place ahead of the International Astronautical Congress – the world’s largest space conference – at the World Trade Center from October 25-29.

Sarah Al Amiri, Minister of State for Advanced Technologies and President of the United Arab Emirates Space Agency, will participate in Space Week. Shelli Brunswick, Director of Operations for the Space Foundation, will also speak.

Behind the scenes of the opening ceremony of Expo 2020 Dubai – in pictures

Updated: September 19, 2021, 11:57


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