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UAE Announces MBR Explorer Spacecraft to Study Seven Asteroids by 2028
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Moneycontrol•13-10-2026, 14:12
UAE Announces MBR Explorer Spacecraft to Study Seven Asteroids by 2028
- •The United Arab Emirates is preparing to launch the Emirates Mission to the Asteroid Belt in March 2028 using the MBR Explorer spacecraft.
- •The spacecraft will travel approximately five billion kilometres, performing close flybys of six asteroids before reaching its final target, 269 Justitia.
- •The mission aims to investigate asteroid composition, the origins of water-rich asteroids, and clues about the early Solar System.
- •A specially designed lander will be released to descend autonomously onto asteroid 269 Justitia to study its surface.
- •The Technology Innovation Institute unveiled the Abu Dhabi-built lander, developed by over 150 engineers and scientists.
Key Questions Answered
The UAE's Emirates Mission to the Asteroid Belt has its planned launch window opening in March 2028 with the MBR Explorer spacecraft.
The MBR Explorer will conduct close flybys of six asteroids before reaching its seventh and final target, asteroid 269 Justitia.
Asteroid 269 Justitia has an unusually red appearance that suggests it may have originated in the distant outer Solar System before moving into the main asteroid belt.
