The probe developed for the Emirates Mission to the Asteroid Belt (EMA) has arrived in the United States, having been transported from Abu Dhabi to Colorado with the support of Etihad Cargo. The shipment follows the successful completion of the probe’s design, development, assembly and testing in the UAE. Its arrival in the United States marks an important milestone in the mission’s preparations, as the probe is now ready for final integration with the MBR Explorer spacecraft, ahead of the mission’s planned launch from Japan in the first quarter of 2028.
The UAE Space Agency leads EMA, funding the mission and overseeing its delivery in collaboration with a network of national and international partners. The Technology Innovation Institute (TII), through its Propulsion and Space Research Center, played the lead role in developing the probe, working with mission partners including HEX20, Khalifa University and the National Space Science and Technology Center at United Arab Emirates University.
Eng Mohsen Al Awadhi, Mission Director of the Emirates Mission to the Asteroid Belt, said: “The probe’s transfer from Abu Dhabi to the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP) at the University of Colorado marks an important transition for EMA, from development, assembly and testing in the UAE to final integration with the MBR Explorer spacecraft and the verification of their systems’ integration before launch. Developing the probe and reaching flight readiness in less than two years reflects the technical capability of the mission team and the importance of integrated efforts between national institutions and technical partners in delivering space missions of this complexity. The coordination with Etihad Cargo to transport the probe forms part of these efforts as we prepare for the mission’s next stages, ahead of its planned launch in the first quarter of 2028.”
Following eight months of close coordination with all relevant parties, Etihad Cargo transported the probe as a specialised shipment from Abu Dhabi to Chicago on 2 November 2026. The probe safely arrived in Colorado on 5 November. Engineers, researchers, flight specialists and the mission team from across Etihad, the UAE Space Agency and TII were present in Abu Dhabi as the probe was prepared for departure.
Stanislas Brun, Chief Cargo Officer at Etihad Airways, said: “The Emirates Mission to the Asteroid Belt reflects the UAE’s ambition to push the boundaries of science, technology and innovation. Delivering the probe to the United States is another example of how Etihad Cargo enables the safe and reliable transport of highly specialised cargo around the world. As the UAE’s national carrier, we are proud to have played our part in connecting this pioneering mission with its next stage and supporting an initiative that showcases the UAE’s growing leadership in advanced technology and space exploration.”
The Emirates Mission to the Asteroid Belt will travel approximately five billion kilometres to explore seven asteroids and ultimately reach 269 Justitia, where the probe will separate from MBR Explorer in the final phase of the mission and operate autonomously as it approaches the asteroid’s surface, capturing detailed images to help scientists study its characteristics.
Dr. Anton Ivanov, Principal Investigator and Executive Director, Propulsion and Space Research Center, TII, said: “Taking this probe from design through building, assembling and testing in the UAE is a proud significant achievement for our team. In Colorado, the focus now shifts to integrating it with MBR Explorer and verifying that their hardware, software and communications systems work together as intended.”
