UAE asteroid probe reaches flight readiness ahead of 5 billion-km mission

Dubai: The spacecraft at the heart of the Emirates Mission to the Asteroid Belt has reached flight readiness less than two years after being developed, assembled and tested in the UAE, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the UAE, and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, has announced.

The Crown Prince of Dubai attended the unveiling of the probe, marking a major milestone for a mission that is expected to travel about 5 billion kilometres and explore seven asteroids.

Sheikh Hamdan wrote that more than 150 engineers and scientists are working as one national team on the mission, which forms part of the UAE’s effort to deepen its capabilities in one of the world’s most technologically advanced sectors.

“Developed, assembled and tested in the UAE, the probe has achieved flight readiness in less than two years,” he noted.

The mission represents one of the UAE’s most ambitious space projects, combining scientific exploration with a broader push to build domestic expertise in spacecraft development, engineering and advanced technology.

Sheikh Hamdan highlighted the growing economic weight of the industry, with the UAE’s space sector now valued at more than Dh44 billion.

By 2031, the country aims to double the returns generated by its space economy and establish itself among the world’s 10 largest space economies.

The target reflects the UAE’s wider strategy of linking major scientific missions with investment in talent, research, technology and high-value industries.

Sheikh Hamdan praised the Emirati engineers and scientists turning what he described as ambitious aspirations into tangible achievements.

The UAE would continue investing in people, knowledge and technology, he added, as it seeks to build a new phase of its space programme and expand its role in the global space economy.

The Emirates Mission to the Asteroid Belt will take the spacecraft deep into the solar system on a journey spanning billions of kilometres, gathering scientific data from seven asteroids along the way.