In a remarkable display of ambition and scientific prowess, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has announced a groundbreaking space mission aimed at landing a spacecraft on an asteroid situated an astonishing five billion kilometers away.
Dubbed the MBR explorer, after Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the esteemed Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE, as well as the Ruler of Dubai, the mission will encompass a 13-year odyssey, during which it will visit a total of seven asteroids.
The inauguration of the “Emirates Project to Explore the Asteroid Belt” took place at the illustrious Qasr Al Wattan, with Sheikh Mohammed himself in attendance to witness this momentous occasion.
Expressing his profound admiration for the undertaking, Sheikh Mohammed asserted that this project stands among the most significant in the realm of space exploration. He elaborated on the timeline, highlighting a six-year period dedicated to development, followed by seven years of venturing through the vast expanse of space.
Sheikh Mohammed took to Twitter to divulge further details, proclaiming, “The UAE project to explore the asteroid belt represents an immense national scientific initiative and an unparalleled global endeavor for research and knowledge. It encompasses the establishment of Emirati private enterprises specializing in space technology, the creation of a ground control center for deep space missions, and the training of new Emirati graduates in this pioneering field.”
He further emphasized that the UAE’s ability to venture such great distances in space, spanning an impressive five billion kilometers, boils down to a single driving force: unwavering faith in the nation’s youth and a resolute commitment to empowering its citizens.
The upcoming mission of the MBR Explorer is set to travel a distance ten times greater than that covered by the Hope Probe, which successfully reached the planet Mars.
As part of its voyage, the spacecraft will visit to a total of seven asteroids:
- 10253 Westerwald
- 623 Chimaera
- 13294 Rockox
- 88055
- 23871
- 59980
- 269 Justitia
The UAE Space Agency has unveiled detailed information regarding the spacecraft known as the “MBR Explorer,” as well as the operational plans and scientific objectives of the upcoming mission. Furthermore, it has announced a three-week launch window scheduled to commence in March 2028.
The primary objective of this ambitious mission is to enhance our comprehension of the fundamental elements of the solar system, shedding light on the existence and origins of the building blocks of life discovered within the asteroid belt. Additionally, it aims to establish a foundation for potential future extraction of resources from asteroids.
The mission, known as EMA (Emirates Project to Explore the Asteroid Belt), spans a comprehensive thirteen-year timeline, encompassing a six-year phase dedicated to spacecraft development, followed by a seven-year journey to the main asteroid belt beyond Mars. Throughout this expedition, the MBR Explorer will conduct a series of close flybys, allowing for unique observations of seven primary belt asteroids.
Building upon the knowledge, capabilities, innovation, and legacy of the Emirates Mars Mission, this endeavor seeks to accelerate the growth of the country’s private space sector and enhance its national expertise in advanced technological innovation.
Sarah Al Amiri, Minister of State for Public Education and Advanced Technology, as well as Chairwoman of the UAE Space Agency, affirmed, “The EMA represents a crucial element of the UAE National Space Strategy with one overarching goal: to create sustainable and rewarding employment opportunities for young Emiratis for generations to come. Emirati education, knowledge transfer, and innovation lie at the core of EMA’s mission. The project will contribute to empowering local private sector companies and UAE start-ups.”
Salem Butti Salem Al Qubaisi, Director-General of the UAE Space Agency, emphasised the significance of extensive collaboration with local and global institutions, as well as the private sector, for the success of long-term space missions. He expressed eagerness to expand strategic partnerships with the local private sector to ensure the prosperous realisation and accelerated growth of future space projects.
The remarkable 5-billion-kilometer journey of the MBR Explorer will involve gravity-assist maneuvers around Venus, Earth, and Mars, effectively altering the spacecraft’s velocity and supporting its flyby campaign. The initial encounter with an asteroid is projected to occur in February 2030, with subsequent flybys planned until 2034. The seventh asteroid encounter will involve a rendezvous and landing, where a lander will be deployed to transmit scientific data from the asteroid’s surface.
The EMA initiative will generate substantial economic opportunities, fostering the establishment of new start-ups, international collaborations, and foreign investments in the UAE’s space sector. This, in turn, will create fresh commercial prospects, propelling the growth of innovative companies specialising in advanced technology within the UAE.
An Emirati private sector operator will assume responsibility for the ground segment and mission operations, overseeing the establishment of a control center dedicated to deep space missions.
The EMA undertaking will facilitate a deeper understanding of asteroid characteristics, origins, formation, and evolution. By investigating the potential of water-rich asteroids as viable resources and assessing the presence of volatile and organic compounds within the asteroid belt, it will offer new insights into the formation of our solar system and the building blocks of life on Earth.
Equipped with four scientific instruments—a high-resolution camera, a thermal infrared camera, a mid-wavelength spectrometer, and an infrared spectrometer—the MBR Explorer will conduct observations to analyse the surface composition, geology, interior density, and structure of asteroids belonging to five major belt “families.” These observations will aid in unraveling the origins and evolution of water-rich asteroids, assessing the resource potential of asteroids, and paving the way for future utilisation of asteroid resources.
