A key milestone in the programme’s timeline, this review aims to discuss the details and latest updates related to the development of the MBR explorer and its readiness to proceed to the next phase of Assembly, Integration and Test.

Salem Butti Salem Al Qubaisi, Director General of the UAE Space Agency, said: “We are truly proud of this achievement. Completing this phase of EMA successfully embodies the UAE’s vision of turning ambitions into realities.”

Al Qubaisi added: “The mission represents an advanced step in our journey of scientific innovation. It contributes to bolstering our position in deep space exploration, and opens promising horizons in the fields of technology, education, and economy for future generations.” He also emphasised the importance of building capabilities in scientific and technical fields within this vital sector.

The critical design review comprises of a comprehensive evaluation of all aspects of the program, from detailed designs of the spacecraft and its subsystems to precise engineering drawings, manufacturing, assembly, integration and test plans. It also includes an analysis of the expected performance to ensure that the strategic objectives of the mission are achieved, comprehensive test plans to ensure that components are ready to operate in the harsh environments of space, assessment of potential risks and the development of effective strategies to manage them. It also includes the review of the mission schedule.

Mohsen Al Awadhi, Mission Director - EMA, stressed that the mission primarily focuses on building capabilities and ensuring broad participation of the private sector. He further emphasised that the Emirates Mission to the Asteroid Belt is more than a journey beyond our planet, it is a bold step toward a future of innovation, scientific excellence, and global leadership in deep space exploration programmes.

He highlighted that the critical design review is crucial to ensure the success of any space programme, during which the focus is on verifying the readiness of the systems, achieving the desired scientific goals, enhancing coordination between different teams, reducing potential risks, and complying with international standards and regulations. He affirmed that this review yielded positive results and successfully achieved its objectives, reflecting remarkable progress in the National Team’s capabilities, and reinforcing the preparations for the mission launch.

EMA consists of a six-year spacecraft design and development phase followed by launch and a seven-year mission to the main asteroid belt beyond Mars, performing a series of close flybys to make a series of observations of seven main belt asteroids, and finally landing on Justitia. The MBR Explorer will carry advanced scientific devices that will work together to achieve the mission’s scientific objectives. The mission's objectives focus on understanding the origins and evolution of water-rich asteroids and evaluating the possibility of using asteroids as resources for future space exploration missions.

SANSA began tracking the spacecraft soon after launch when it entered its coverage area and will continue providing support to the Athena lander for several days after it lands on the Moon’s surface.

“Lunar missions like IM-2 are a unique opportunity for SANSA to showcase its capabilities and contribute meaningfully to the global space community,” said Tiaan Strydom, SANSA Space Operations Acting Executive Director. “Our preparations for this mission are designed to ensure excellence and seamless support services for the contracted duration of the mission.”

According to Intuitive Machines, “IM-2 mission represents a significant leap forward in lunar exploration, ready to demonstrate water hunting infrastructure services on the Moon’s surface. IM-2 is set to demonstrate lunar mobility, resource prospecting, and analysis of volatile substances from subsurface materials, a critical step toward uncovering water sources beyond Earth—a key component for establishing sustainable infrastructure both on the lunar surface and in space.” 

“Lunar missions are complex and costly; therefore, every phase of the mission requires precision and diligence. We are honoured that Intuitive Machines has placed trust in our capabilities to support IM-2, continuing our support from IM-1”, Strydom commented.

The IM-2 mission is part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative, helping lay the foundation for human missions and a sustainable human presence on the lunar surface. 

SANSA’s  26-metre and 12-metre diameter antennas are deployed to track the spacecraft using high-frequency radio signals in the space agency’s southern hemisphere’s coverage area, ensuring it remains on course. 

In preparation for the launch, teams from SANSA and Intuitive Machines conducted joint simulations and rigorous equipment tests at the Hartebeesthoek site. 

Strydom concluded that, “supporting missions such as IM-2 speaks to SANSA’s strategic goal to increase the generation of space-relevant knowledge and enhances South Africa’s contribution to space innovation and competitiveness.  Moreover, SANSA’s role in IM-1 and IM-2 reinforces South Africa’s commitment to fostering international partnerships and advancing humanity’s shared knowledge of space.”

This was warned by space officials at the International Defence Conference (IDC) on Sunday.

“Space has become a domain for warfighting,” Mohamed Alahbabi, Edge Group’s senior advisor, space and cyber technologies, said at the event, adding that that is making it “subject to threats”.

The biggest threat, he said, is from anti-satellite systems, while noting that cyber-attacks on ground infrastructure that are hard to pinpoint, jamming and space debris are other areas of concern. While there are natural threats to space systems, such as solar flares, Alahbabi said “I think it's human made threats that loom in the future.”

Capella Space CEO Frank Backes echoed the sentiment. “These are threats that we are seeing on a continuous basis. We're seeing threats against our satellites, in the terrestrial domain, in our ground infrastructure, coming through traditional cyber security threats, but we're also seeing threats in the RF domain, both against our command and control of our satellites, but also in the payload and direct intentional electronic warfare threats against our systems.”

Capella Space, which provides synthetic aperture radar imagery from space, has had to upgrade its systems to harden them against attacks, he said. SpaceX previously also said it had to make changes to its Starlink satellite communications links after Russian attempts to disrupt its data provision.

Backes argues that with the lines blurring between military, civil and commercial space systems, dealing with threats requires a broad approach, likening it to the need for cyber protection more widely.

“How do we create our infrastructure just like we have in the terrestrial networking world, in using the Internet every day. We all operate in a high-threat environment on a continuous basis, whether it's on our phones, our corporate networks, or in our homes. We have to operate through this environment, and our space systems need to be architected and set up to operate in the same way.”

There are other areas of concern, too, from less nefarious sources. Elias Tsoutsanis, the acting chief researcher of the UAE’s Propulsion and Space Research Center, Technology Innovation Institute said: “We're going to see space becoming much more congested.”

The growing number of satellites on orbit could narrow launch windows to try to avoid them, he said, and is driving a need for improved space situational awareness.

One of the company’s Zephyr solar-powered stratospheric aircraft made a 13-day flight from the company’s so-called Aaltoport in Laikipia County, Kenya, during January.

The flight was the highest and longest unrefueled flight over Africa yet and allowed the company to begin using its Elvis powered vehicle to launch the aircraft, a process that has traditionally been done by hand. 

According to Aalto, the aircraft flew more than 13 days over 60,000 ft. in Kenyan airspace, testing what the company calls a direct-to-device payload allowing devices such cell phones the ability to receive 4G/5G connectivity when in remote areas away from static masts. 

Companies increasingly see Zephyr as a flying cell tower enabling the expansion of mobile network coverage in remote areas where building traditional cell phone masts would be prohibitively expensive. Aalto claims Zephyr can deliver low-latency, high-bandwidth cell phone communications directly to handsets, obviating the need for and cost of building and renting land for dozens or even hundreds of expensive cell towers, depending on the terrain, augmenting existing cell phone networks. 

The flight not only allowed Aalto to test the payload and characterise the performance of the connectivity system, but the company also validated improvements to Zephyr’s flight envelope to provide more stability and better performance.

“Zephyr’s return to stratospheric testing and operations is an important step in its commercial roadmap,” said Aalto CEO Hughes Boulnois. 

“For many years, we have worked with strategic partners on promoting technological innovation and opportunities across connectivity and Earth-observation markets," Boulnois said. "Now, thanks to the strategic vision of Kenyan regulators, we are one step closer to commercialising the stratosphere."

The site in Kenya is the first of a planned five to six locations around the world where Aalto hopes to operate its Aaltoports. The ports— where the Zephyrs can be assembled, launched and recovered—must be situated in areas where weather conditions are generally calm and favourable. 

Having multiple Aaltoports would mean the company could have access to the stratosphere on any given day, so if the weather were to be poor at one site, Zephyrs could be launched and ferried to another.

The EMA Lander will be aboard the MBR Explorer, and will be deployed to study the 7th asteroid Justitia, as part of the Emirates Mission to the Asteroid Belt (EMA). 

Under this agreement, TII will lead the design, development and testing phases of the lander, as well as providing opportunities for startups’ participation in the development of the project, in line with the mission’s commitment of allocating 50% of the project to UAE based companies, as it aims to create substantial economic opportunities, spur Emirati startups, and attract international partnerships.

“The Technology Innovation Institute was selected due to their vast expertise and technical capabilities in the field of advanced technology, which will be a great asset in promoting the mission's success. This selection also reflects our keenness to leverage the best national expertise and capabilities to achieve our future objectives and execute sophisticated space projects in line with the highest international standards. EMA is progressing according to the schedule, and we will work together with our partners to ensure the success of the mission, develop a sustainable and integrated ecosystem in our national space sector, and consolidate the UAE's position as a leading country in this vital sector,” said Mohsen Al Awadhi, Director of the Emirates Mission to the Asteroid Belt.

"This groundbreaking collaboration underscores the UAE’s pioneering efforts in interplanetary exploration and the cultivation of a thriving space technology ecosystem. Space exploration is not just a frontier—it is a passion we embrace wholeheartedly, driving us to push the boundaries of innovation and solidify the UAE’s position as a global leader in space science and technology” said Dr. Najwa Aaraj, CEO at the Technology Innovation Institute.

The mission spans 13 years, with a six-year spacecraft development phase followed by a seven-year voyage to the main asteroid belt beyond Mars. The "MBR Explorer" spacecraft will conduct a series of close flybys of seven asteroids, gathering invaluable, unprecedented data during these encounters, and will finally deploy the lander on the seventh asteroid “Justitia”.

Over a thousand policymakers, governments, industry, academia, and emerging space players from the public and private sectors will attend the second edition of the event set to take place on December 10-11, 2024.

Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates, the second edition of the two-day event aims to drive the global space community from dialogue to action, ensuring that the conversations result in commitments and policies that secure the future of space. The 2024 edition of ADSD titled “From Earth to Orbit: A Space for Action and Accountability” will focus on sustainability, security, and accessibility—key challenges facing the space sector and future generations. 

We live in an era where the sustainability, security, and accessibility of space are increasingly at risk, namely from the growing threat of space debris, the pressing challenges of accessibility, and the lack of security in an increasingly crowded orbital environment. At ADSD, global leaders will address these critical challenges and form space policies that will enable a thriving and innovative space ecosystem.

As a result-driven platform, the priority of the ADSD is to set a foundation to ignite meaningful change that benefits the industry. The main objectives of the ADSD are to enable key stakeholders from governments, industry, academia, and emerging space players to shape the future of space exploration, challenge the status quo and inspire bold solutions to advance space policy. 

The ADSD is a place for debates, not just discussions - an approach that invites diverse perspectives, sparks critical thinking and generates innovative solutions for immediate and decisive actions on complex topics.

His Excellency Dr. Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi, Chairman of the UAE Space Agency, said: “The Abu Dhabi Space Debate is the global platform for decision makers across the industry to align on priorities in the sector. Sustainability, security, and space accessibility are crucial challenges that require global collaboration. As a major convenor of industry leaders, ADSD is where the future of space is set.”

His Excellency Salem Butti Salem Al Qubaisi, Director General of the UAE Space Agency, said: “As opportunities in space continue to grow, the Abu Dhabi Space Debate fosters critical discussions to assess the current landscape and debate the future possibilities of space. ADSD measures success by the commitments and subsequent outcomes of our discussions. As a global platform, we anticipate this year’s edition of ADSD will make significant strides towards driving sustainable progress across the industry.”

His Excellency Ibrahim AlQassim, Deputy Director General of the UAE Space Agency, said: “Our primary objective is to contribute to transforming global space policy through bold ideas and actionable outcomes. By creating a platform that speaks to established leaders and aspiring youth, ADSD aims to nurture a dialogue that addresses current challenges and inspires future action in space sustainability, security, and accessibility.”

Key discussions at the 2024 edition of ADSD include a keynote presentation by world-renowned physicist and broadcaster Brian Cox and an insightful address by geopolitical expert Tim Marshall, who will explore how power and politics in space can contribute to reshaping the world.

The sessions on day one will focus on leveraging space technologies for global security, enhancing operations and responsibility from Earth to orbit, and tackling space debris through market-driven solutions and regulatory frameworks. Discussions will also foster collaboration in space exploration and national interests. Parallel workshops on security and sustainability, along with keynote presentations, will further the agenda. 

The second day will focus on the readiness of space regulations to meet the demands of the 21st century, ensuring space sustainability and amplifying the voices of emerging markets in the global space dialogue. Sessions will also explore the impact of space on global power dynamics and politics, balancing open access with national security in managing decentralised space activities, equitable access to knowledge derived from space, and a symbolic youth mock court workshop.