UAE Space: Record Year for Lunar, Asteroid & Satellite Missions

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UAE Space Program Soars in 2025 with Lunar Gateway role and Ambitious New Missions

The United Arab Emirates has cemented its position as a leading global force in space exploration and technology, marked by a series of significant achievements in 2025. From launching six satellites in the first quarter of the year to securing a key role in NASA’s Lunar Gateway and planning missions to the Moon’s far side and the asteroid belt, the UAE is rapidly expanding its capabilities and fostering a thriving space ecosystem.

The nation’s progress underscores a long-term commitment to developing Emirati talent, forging international partnerships, and contributing to the advancement of space science, especially as highlighted during World Space Week (October 4-10), which this year focuses on the theme of “Living in Space.”

A Constellation of Success: Six Satellites Launched in Early 2025

The UAE began 2025 with an impressive launch cadence, deploying six satellites during the first three months. On January 4, the nation launched Thuraya 4 alongside Mohammed bin Zayed Sat, Al Ain Sat-1, HCT-SAT 1, and the second phase of the DubaiSat series. These launches demonstrate the UAE’s growing capacity in satellite progress and deployment, serving diverse applications from telecommunications to Earth observation.

Lunar gateway: A Strategic Partnership with NASA

In a landmark achievement, the UAE secured a pivotal role in NASA’s Lunar Gateway, a planned space station in lunar orbit. The MBRSC will provide the gateway’s robotic arm, a critical component for servicing the station and supporting astronaut activities.This collaboration not only provides the UAE with invaluable experience in deep space operations but also grants Emirati astronauts priority access to the Gateway and the opportunity to participate in lunar missions. “This partnership will allow an Emirati astronaut to the Moon and gain priority access to critical research data.”

Rashid 2: Exploring the Lunar Far Side

The UAE’s ambitions extend beyond the Lunar Gateway. In May, MBRSC partnered with US-based Firefly Aerospace for the Blue Ghost Mission 2, slated to deploy the Rashid 2 Rover to the far side of the Moon in 2026. This mission is particularly significant, as it will position the UAE among a select group of nations capable of conducting research on this largely unexplored region of the lunar surface.

The Rashid 2 Rover will carry payloads from the European Space Agency (ESA), NASA, and Australia, further demonstrating the UAE’s commitment to international collaboration. The rover will utilize firefly’s Blue Ghost lander and Elytra Dark orbital vehicle to collect data crucial for future lunar infrastructure development.

Strengthening Global Partnerships

The MBRSC continues to prioritize international collaboration, renewing its partnership with France’s space agency CNES to enhance the Emirates Lunar Mission’s Rashid Rover 2. CNES will provide advanced imaging technology, including two high-resolution cameras and a CASPEX imaging module, alongside expertise in image processing and data analysis. This collaboration builds upon the success of the first Rashid Rover and aims to further elevate the UAE’s scientific capabilities.

Investing in Future Generations: The National Space Academy

Recognizing the importance of a skilled workforce, the UAE Space Agency launched the Space Mission and satellite Engineering Programme (SMSE) through the National Space Academy, in partnership with EDGE. Delivered through EDGE entities FADA and BEACON RED, the SMSE provides Emirati engineers, researchers, and graduates with hands-on training in critical areas such as satellite design, mission architecture, and systems engineering.

Pioneering the Arab World: Mission to the Asteroid Belt

In April,the UAE Space Agency completed the final design phase of the Emirates Mission to the Asteroid Belt (EMA),a groundbreaking initiative that will mark the Arab world’s first scientific mission to study seven asteroids located between Mars and Jupiter. The agency and the Technology Innovation Institute (TII) are collaborating to develop the EMA Lander, which will travel aboard the MBR Explorer to study the asteroid Justitia.

The project is designed to stimulate the UAE’s space economy, with 50 percent of the work allocated to UAE-based companies, fostering startups and attracting foreign investment.

Five Years of Martian Discovery: The Hope Probe

July 2025 marked the fifth anniversary of the launch of the Hope Probe, the first Arab interplanetary mission to Mars. Launched on July 20, 2020, from Japan’s Tanegashima space Center, the Hope Probe continues to deliver unprecedented data on the Martian atmosphere to research centers and universities worldwide, contributing considerably to our understanding of the Red Planet.

The UAE