MBR Explorer

{{Short description|Planned UAESA mission to the Asteroid belt}}

{{Infobox spaceflight

| mission_type = Asteroid multiple-flyby/orbiter/lander

| operator = Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre

| mission_duration = Flyby phase:
8.5 years
Orbiter phase:
7 months

| launch_date = March 2028

| launch_rocket = H3

| launch_site = Tanegashima, LA-Y2

| launch_contractor = Mitsubishi Heavy Industries

| interplanetary = {{Infobox spaceflight/IP

|type = flyby

|object = Venus

|note = gravity assist

|distance =

|arrival_date = July 2028{{Cite web |last=Foust |first=Jeff |date=2023-06-03 |title=UAE outlines plans for asteroid mission |url=https://spacenews.com/uae-outlines-plans-for-asteroid-mission/ |access-date=2024-09-29 |website=SpaceNews |language=en-US}}

}}

{{Infobox spaceflight/IP

|type = flyby

|object = Earth

|note = gravity assist

|distance =

|arrival_date = May 2029

}}

{{Infobox spaceflight/IP

|type = flyby

|object = 10253 Westerwald

|arrival_date = February 2030

}}

{{Infobox spaceflight/IP

|type = flyby

|object = 623 Chimaera

|arrival_date = June 2030

}}

{{Infobox spaceflight/IP

|type = flyby

|object = 13294 Rockox

|arrival_date = January 2031

}}

{{Infobox spaceflight/IP

|type = flyby

|object = Mars

|note = gravity assist

|distance =

|arrival_date = September 2031

}}

{{Infobox spaceflight/IP

|type = flyby

|object = (88055) 2000 VA₂₈

|arrival_date = July 2032

}}

{{Infobox spaceflight/IP

|type = flyby

|object = (23871) 1998 RC₇₆

|arrival_date = December 2032

}}

{{Infobox spaceflight/IP

|type = flyby

|object = (59980) 1999 SG₆

|arrival_date = August 2033

}}

{{Infobox spaceflight/IP

| type = orbiter

| object = 269 Justitia

| orbits =

| arrival_date = October 2034

}}

{{Infobox spaceflight/IP

|type = lander

|object = 269 Justitia

|arrival_date = May 2035

}}

}}

The MBR Explorer is a planned UAESA space probe designed to journey to seven different main belt asteroids.{{cite news |date=29 May 2023 |title=UAE announces space mission to land MBR Explorer on asteroid 5 billion kilometres away |work=Arabian Business |url=https://www.arabianbusiness.com/gcc/uae/uae-announces-space-mission-to-land-mbr-explorer-on-asteroid-5-billion-kilometres-away |accessdate=14 June 2023}}{{cite news |date=29 May 2023 |title=Touring Through the Asteroid Belt: United Arab Emirates Unveils Bold Mission |work=SpaceRef |url=https://spaceref.com/science-and-exploration/touring-asteroid-belt-united-arab-emirates-unveils-bold-mission/ |accessdate=14 June 2023}} Proposed under the Emirates Mission to the Asteroid Belt, it is named in recognition of the foundational role driving the creation and growth of the UAE Space Program played by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the vice president and the prime minister of the United Arab Emirates.

The mission to explore the asteroid belt was announced by the United Arab Emirates Space Agency in May 2023, and the launch is planned for March 2028.{{cite web |last=Foust |first=Jeff |url=https://spacenews.com/uae-outlines-plans-for-asteroid-mission/ |title=UAE outlines plans for asteroid mission |work=SpaceNews |date=3 June 2023 |access-date=17 September 2023}}{{cite news|date=May 29, 2023|title=The United Arab Emirates Is Heading for the Asteroid Belt|author=Kenneth Chang|newspaper=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/29/science/uae-asteroid-mission.html}}{{cite news|newspaper=The National|location=Abu Dhabi|title=MBR Explorer: UAE unveils details of its mission to the main asteroid belt|author=Sarwat Nasir|date=May 29, 2023|url=https://www.thenationalnews.com/uae/2023/05/29/mbr-explorer-uae-unveils-details-of-its-mission-to-the-main-asteroid-belt/}} Similarly to their previous Mars mission, the MBR Explorer will launch from Tanegashima Space Center, this time on an H3.{{Cite web |last=Foust |first=Jeff |date=2024-10-10 |title=Japan’s H3 to launch Emirati asteroid mission |url=https://spacenews.com/japans-h3-to-launch-emirati-asteroid-mission/ |access-date=2024-10-11 |website=SpaceNews |language=en-US}}

The spacecraft will weigh around 2.8 tonnes and will travel at an average speed of 33,000 km/h.

The MBR Explorer will visit asteroids 10253 Westerwald, 623 Chimaera, 13294 Rockox, (88055) 2000 VA₂₈, (23871) 1998 RC₇₆, and (59980) 1999 SG₆, in a 5-billion-kilometre total journey,{{Cite news |date=2023-05-30 |title=Arabian spacecraft to search asteroid belt for clues to life's origins |language=en-AU |work=ABC News |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-05-30/uae-looking-for-clues-to-life-origins-in-asteroid-belt/102412156 |access-date=2023-06-06}}{{Cite web |date=2023-05-10 |title=Ambitious Emirati Mission Seeks to Visit 7 Asteroids and Land on the Big Red One |url=https://gizmodo.com/ambitious-emirati-mission-visit-asteroids-landing-1850424877 |access-date=2023-06-08 |website=Gizmodo |language=en}} and will attempt to land on its seventh and final asteroid, 269 Justitia in 2034.{{Cite web |date=2023-05-29 |title=MBR Explorer: All about UAE's new space mission to Asteroid Belt |url=https://gulfnews.com/uae/science/mbr-explorer-all-about-uaes-new-space-mission-to-asteroid-belt-1.1685379884447 |access-date=2023-06-06 |website=Gulf News |language=en}}

The spacecraft will also drop off a small lander to set down on Justitia's surface.