The Mohammed bin Rashid Center for Future Research, one of the initiatives of the Dubai Foundation for the Future, announced the completion of the preparation of 35 scientific researches within the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Settlement Challenge, which included a scientific study based on the engineering of biotechnology for e-plants and a study to extract water from the vapors on the surface of Mars , And the development of new robotic technology using solar energy to produce interlocking building materials.
The projects were selected based on an assessment of the 275 participants from the world's leading universities and research centers, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Singapore, Japan, Australia, Canada, France, Germany and Morocco , The United Arab Emirates, and others.
The 35 scientific research supported by the Center included a study based on the engineering of biotechnology for e-plants, prepared by Tara Karimi and Moji Karimi of Simvita Factory, which develops innovative solutions in the fields of chemistry and biology and their diverse applications in space and land, Technology that relies on photosynthesis, through which plants convert carbon dioxide and water into oxygen and glucose.
The development of this model is a supporting element for the development of the space sector and can benefit from the average of one kilogram of carbon dioxide emitted by the astronaut daily, through collection, processing and recycling, into useful components during space travel.
This technology may also facilitate the process of oxygen production in future space settlements from the surrounding air, given that carbon dioxide forms 95% of the atmosphere of Mars.
New technology on the planet could be used to reduce carbon emissions and address climate change.
It can also reduce the cost of carbon dioxide collection and storage underground, to only $ 30 per tonne of carbon, compared to $ 100 per ton the cost of the technology currently used, as well as the recycling of carbon dioxide to useful materials.
The two scientists, Tara Karimi and Muji Karimi, said that funding the center for this research helped them develop a prototype carbon conversion technology based on the concept of photosynthesis, which contributes to the development of a sustainable way to produce chemicals and polymers that use carbon dioxide as feedstock, Kit for society, economy and the environment.
The list of projects supported by the Center includes a study by Dr Javier Martin Torres of Lulea University of Technology, Sweden, to extract water from vapors on the surface of Mars, using salts that absorb moisture from the air at certain levels of heat and convert it into usable water in space.
Torres stressed that the technology of "water farms" supports the efforts of exploring Mars, as well as being able to employ them in addressing the economic, environmental and social challenges on the ground. He pointed out the importance of applying the project on a large scale to support communities in harsh environments and providing water to countries that depend on desalination Water.
The Center's support for this research, the development of several functional models for aquaculture, and its testing at the UK's Bolby Mine contributed to the harsh environment of Mars.
The third research, funded by the Center, helped a group of scientists at the University of Arizona to develop solar-based robotic technology for the production of interconnecting building materials. The patent-pending prototype model combining robot capabilities and 3D printing technology is being finalized.
The model is a leap in the world of three-dimensional printing, as the size of the robot does not limit the size of structures that can be built, which is usually one of the biggest challenges faced by the practical applications of the printing technology in 3D. In addition, this technology will contribute to a threefold reduction in the cost of construction and reduce the health and safety risks involved in construction in harsh environments.
"Although this technology is being developed for the construction of space settlements, it will also contribute to the development of the construction sector on the ground. The robot can be used to dig channels, reclaim land and other areas," said Gekan Thanga.
In June 2018, the Mohammed bin Rashid Center for Future Research, Dubai Future Foundation, announced the selection of 53 scientific research papers to be funded through the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Settlement Challenge, which aims to provide a platform to support specialized research, promoting and accelerating the generation of ideas and solutions Supports the establishment of integrated societies suitable for human life in space.
Participated in the challenge, teams from more than 200 universities from 55 countries submitted 275 research proposals, and the 35 selected research owners received funding of up to AED 50,000 to carry out their research.
The Center represents a knowledge and research platform that provides a range of advisory services and reports to future science and government stakeholders.
Future sectors
The Executive Vice President of Dubai Foundation for the Future, Abdul Aziz Al Jazairi, stressed the importance of sharing and disseminating scientific knowledge in enhancing the efforts of the future industry and the priority of developing the scientific research environment.
Al-Jazairi said that the publication of scientific studies reflects the Center's intentions in supporting scientific research in various sectors of the future and in areas related to space settlement, which will improve and develop life on the planet as well. The Foundation is keen to strengthen cooperation and partnership with research institutions around the world to create new ideas and innovations that contribute to tangible change and support the future industry.