In brief
The Emirates Mission to the Asteroid Belt (EMA) will launch in the first quarter of 2028, carrying a domestically built lander to visit seven asteroids, including 269 Justitia. The mission, developed in under two years, has passed all flight‑readiness tests and is now in the final integration and testing phase. The launch will be from Japan, and the probe is expected to complete an eight‑year journey of roughly 5 billion kilometres.
On 2 November 2026, Abu Dhabi‑based news agency WAM reported that the Emirates Mission to the Asteroid Belt (EMA) is on track for a launch in the first quarter of 2028, marking a significant milestone for the UAE’s space ambitions.
EMA, a joint effort by the UAE Space Agency and national research institutions, will carry the MBR Explorer spacecraft and a specially designed EMA Lander to seven target asteroids. The lander will rendezvous with asteroid 269 Justitia, the mission’s final stop, to capture high‑resolution images and samples that will shed light on the origins of water‑rich bodies in the Solar System.
Design, assembly, and testing of the EMA Lander were completed entirely within UAE borders, a development completed in less than two years. The international collaboration involved the Technology Innovation Institute (TII) and several UAE‑based companies, leading to the lander’s approval after technical and environmental readiness tests.
After qualification, the lander will be transferred to the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics at the University of Colorado Boulder, where it will be integrated with the MBR Explorer for final flight preparations. Integration and subsystem testing of the explorer are currently underway, following the completion of the spacecraft’s Critical Design Review in 2025 and its System Integration Review in September of that year.
The mission’s testing schedule includes final technical and environmental verification of the combined probe, readiness reviews, and transportation of the fully integrated spacecraft to a Japanese launch facility. These steps aim to ensure the probe’s robustness during its planned 5‑billion‑kilometre, eight‑year odyssey that will enable close study of 10253 Westerwald, the first asteroid expected to be encountered in February 2030.
As part of its scientific agenda, EMA will investigate the composition and evolution of its targets, including mineralogy and physical characteristics, to improve understanding of the primordial material that seeded the Solar System.
Mohsen Al Awadhi, Director of the UAE Space Agency’s Space Missions Department, highlighted that the mission’s rapid progress has involved 10 technical papers presented at the 2026 International Astronautical Congress, detailing engineering challenges and research outcomes.
The launch timing reflects the UAE’s long‑term strategic investment in space, nurturing domestic talent, boosting local industries, and opening new economic opportunities related to space science and technology.
While the push for a Q1 2028 launch is firmly cited by both WAM and Gulf News, neither outlet names precise launch windows or specific launch dates, leaving certain logistical and technical details to be finalized as the mission moves into its final stages.
