The UAE Space Agency is spearheading the development of the MBR Explorer, named in honor of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, as part of the Emirates Mission to the Asteroid Belt. This flagship mission, a successor of the Emirates Mars Mission, is set to launch in the first quarter of 2028. The mission aims to add to our understanding of the foundation of our solar system and the presence and origins of the building blocks of life found in the asteroid belt, as well as lay the ground for possible future resource extraction from asteroids.

EMA comprises a thirteen-year mission: a six-year spacecraft development period followed by a seven-year flight to the main asteroid belt beyond Mars, performing a series of close flybys to make unique observations of the main belt asteroids and land on the seventh one, Justicia.

This is the third launch services agreement between MHI and the UAE for Emirati national missions, following KhalifaSat launched in 2018, and Emirates Mars Mission launched in 2020.

Mohsen AlAwadhi, Mission Director for the Emirates Mission to the Asteroid Belt, said: “We are pleased to partner once again with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) as the launch provider for the Emirates Mission to the Asteroid Belt. MHI’s consistent track record of reliability, coupled with their cutting-edge H3 launch vehicle, aligns with our mission’s ambitious goals.
We have high expectations for the H3 launch vehicle, given its enhanced capabilities and MHI’s commitment to precision and excellence. This partnership represents not only the next step in the UAE’s journey into deep space but also a testament to our confidence in MHI’s technology and expertise.”

Iwao Igarashi, Vice President and Senior General Manager of Space Systems at MHI, said: “First of all, we appreciate UAESA for selecting MHI as the launch services provider for EMA and their continued trust following our partnership for KhalifaSat and Emirates Mars Mission. It is our honor to provide the launch services to the UAE again for their important national mission. On behalf of MHI, I express sincere respect for the UAESA and involved organizations for challenging this highly unique, unprecedented, and adventurous project. We are very excited to support the project as the launch services provider. MHI is committed to delivering the MBR Explorer to the orbit successfully and providing a smooth start of the UAESA’s new journey to the deep space.”

MHI Launch Services enjoys an extremely high success rate of over 98%, utilising its H-IIA and H-IIB launch vehicles, and has executed more than 50 successful consecutive launches since 2005, delivered on-time and to the customer’s satisfaction. Today, MHI’s technologies and know-how of development and operation of launch vehicles are exploited in successful launches of H3, Japan’s new launch vehicle. H3 Launch Vehicle builds on the legacy of the highly reliable H-IIA & H-IIB and it is designed to be more customer-oriented and capable to satisfy a variety of launch demands. The third launch of H3 was successfully completed the third launch of H3 on 1 July 2024. MHI is determined to sustain the quality of launch vehicles, providing reliable launch solutions to the market.

This partnership embodies MHI’s long term support for customers and commitment to providing reliable means of access to space to a variety of customers in space industry. With this partnership to launch the MBR Explorer for EMA, UAESA and MHI will contribute together to diversification of space exploration, enhancement of space industry and solving of global social issues.