Etihad Cargo Transports UAE-Built EMA Probe to Colorado

Etihad Cargo transported the Emirates Mission to the Asteroid Belt (EMA) probe from Abu Dhabi to the United States, according to reporting cited in the material. The probe traveled to Chicago on November 2 and arrived in Colorado on November 5; the year was not specified. Teams plan to integrate it with the MBR Explorer spacecraft at the University of Colorado's Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics.

Key details

• The UAE developed, assembled and tested the probe before shipment.
• The UAE Space Agency leads, funds and oversees the mission with national and international partners.
• TII's Propulsion and Space Research Center led probe development. Mission partners include HEX20, Khalifa University and the National Space Science and Technology Center at the United Arab Emirates University.
• The mission is planned to launch from Japan in the first quarter of 2028.

The EMA mission is planned to travel about five billion kilometres and explore seven asteroids before reaching 269 Justitia.

Why it matters

The planned mission covers about five billion kilometres, with seven asteroids on its itinerary before 269 Justitia. During its final phase, the probe is intended to separate from the MBR Explorer and take detailed images near the asteroid.