Etihad Cargo transports UAE-built space probe to US

Etihad Cargo has transported a probe developed for the Emirates Mission to the Asteroid Belt (EMA) from Abu Dhabi to the United States following the completion of its design, development, assembly and testing in the UAE.

The probe arrived in Colorado on 5 November after being transported from Abu Dhabi to Chicago on 2 November as a specialised shipment. The transportation followed eight months of coordination between Etihad Cargo and the parties involved in the mission.

The probe will now undergo final integration with the MBR Explorer spacecraft at the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP) at the University of Colorado. The integration will be followed by verification of the systems ahead of the mission's planned launch from Japan in the first quarter of 2028.

The UAE Space Agency leads the EMA, funds the mission and oversees its delivery in collaboration with national and international partners.

The Technology Innovation Institute (TII), through its Propulsion and Space Research Center, led the development of the probe. Its mission partners include HEX20, Khalifa University and the National Space Science and Technology Center at the United Arab Emirates University.

Mohsen Al Awadhi, Mission Director of the Emirates Mission to the Asteroid Belt, said the probe's transfer from Abu Dhabi to the University of Colorado marked an important transition for the mission, from development and testing in the UAE to final integration with the MBR Explorer spacecraft.

He said the probe had reached flight readiness in less than two years, reflecting the technical capabilities of the mission team and the work of national institutions and technical partners.

Stanislas Brun, Chief Cargo Officer at Etihad Airways, said the transportation highlighted Etihad Cargo's ability to handle specialised shipments and support the UAE's science, technology and innovation initiatives.

The EMA will travel approximately five billion kilometres to explore seven asteroids before reaching 269 Justitia. During the final phase of the mission, the probe will separate from the MBR Explorer and operate independently as it approaches the asteroid's surface. It will capture detailed images to help scientists study the asteroid's characteristics.

Anton Ivanov, Principal Investigator and Executive Director of TII's Propulsion and Space Research Center, said the focus in Colorado would now be on integrating the probe with the MBR Explorer and checking that their hardware, software and communication systems work together as intended.