UAE Space Agency Partners with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries for Emirati Mission Launch

UAE Space Agency Partners with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries for Emirati Mission Launch

The UAE Space Agency has formalized an agreement with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, a renowned global industrial group and trusted provider of the H-IIA and H-IIB Launch Vehicles. This partnership will provide launch services for the UAE's landmark endeavor, the Emirates Mission to the Asteroid Belt (EMA) by H3 launch vehicle in 2028.

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.

Click here to learn more about UAE Space Agency's Emirates Mission to the Asteroid Belt

Click here to learn more about Mitsubishi Heavy Industries' H3 Launch Vehicle

Publisher: SatNow

GNSS Constellations - A list of all GNSS satellites by constellations

beidou

Satellite NameOrbit Date
BeiDou-3 G4Geostationary Orbit (GEO)17 May, 2023
BeiDou-3 G2Geostationary Orbit (GEO)09 Mar, 2020
Compass-IGSO7Inclined Geosynchronous Orbit (IGSO)09 Feb, 2020
BeiDou-3 M19Medium Earth Orbit (MEO)16 Dec, 2019
BeiDou-3 M20Medium Earth Orbit (MEO)16 Dec, 2019
BeiDou-3 M21Medium Earth Orbit (MEO)23 Nov, 2019
BeiDou-3 M22Medium Earth Orbit (MEO)23 Nov, 2019
BeiDou-3 I3Inclined Geosynchronous Orbit (IGSO)04 Nov, 2019
BeiDou-3 M23Medium Earth Orbit (MEO)22 Sep, 2019
BeiDou-3 M24Medium Earth Orbit (MEO)22 Sep, 2019

galileo

Satellite NameOrbit Date
GSAT0223MEO - Near-Circular05 Dec, 2021
GSAT0224MEO - Near-Circular05 Dec, 2021
GSAT0219MEO - Near-Circular25 Jul, 2018
GSAT0220MEO - Near-Circular25 Jul, 2018
GSAT0221MEO - Near-Circular25 Jul, 2018
GSAT0222MEO - Near-Circular25 Jul, 2018
GSAT0215MEO - Near-Circular12 Dec, 2017
GSAT0216MEO - Near-Circular12 Dec, 2017
GSAT0217MEO - Near-Circular12 Dec, 2017
GSAT0218MEO - Near-Circular12 Dec, 2017

glonass

Satellite NameOrbit Date
Kosmos 2569--07 Aug, 2023
Kosmos 2564--28 Nov, 2022
Kosmos 2559--10 Oct, 2022
Kosmos 2557--07 Jul, 2022
Kosmos 2547--25 Oct, 2020
Kosmos 2545--16 Mar, 2020
Kosmos 2544--11 Dec, 2019
Kosmos 2534--27 May, 2019
Kosmos 2529--03 Nov, 2018
Kosmos 2527--16 Jun, 2018

gps

Satellite NameOrbit Date
Navstar 82Medium Earth Orbit19 Jan, 2023
Navstar 81Medium Earth Orbit17 Jun, 2021
Navstar 78Medium Earth Orbit22 Aug, 2019
Navstar 77Medium Earth Orbit23 Dec, 2018
Navstar 76Medium Earth Orbit05 Feb, 2016
Navstar 75Medium Earth Orbit31 Oct, 2015
Navstar 74Medium Earth Orbit15 Jul, 2015
Navstar 73Medium Earth Orbit25 Mar, 2015
Navstar 72Medium Earth Orbit29 Oct, 2014
Navstar 71Medium Earth Orbit02 Aug, 2014

irnss

Satellite NameOrbit Date
NVS-01Geostationary Orbit (GEO)29 May, 2023
IRNSS-1IInclined Geosynchronous Orbit (IGSO)12 Apr, 2018
IRNSS-1HSub Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (Sub-GTO)31 Aug, 2017
IRNSS-1GGeostationary Orbit (GEO)28 Apr, 2016
IRNSS-1FGeostationary Orbit (GEO)10 Mar, 2016
IRNSS-1EGeosynchronous Orbit (IGSO)20 Jan, 2016
IRNSS-1DInclined Geosynchronous Orbit (IGSO)28 Mar, 2015
IRNSS-1CGeostationary Orbit (GEO)16 Oct, 2014
IRNSS-1BInclined Geosynchronous Orbit (IGSO)04 Apr, 2014
IRNSS-1AInclined Geosynchronous Orbit (IGSO)01 Jul, 2013