As part of the Emirates Mission to the Asteroid Belt (EMA), the UAE Space Agency will announce the winners of the Planet X Challenge during Dubai Airshow 2025, which will be held from 17 to 21 November 2025. This supports the UAE Space Agency’s commitment to promote a culture of innovation and scientific research.
His Excellency Salem Butti Al Qubaisi, Director-General of UAE Space Agency, said: “The Planet X Challenge reflects our commitment to empowering local talent to contribute to the development of innovative solutions that strengthens the UAE’s leadership in the space sector. This initiative serves as a scientific and practical platform that bridges academic knowledge with hands-on experience, offering participants a real opportunity to apply their ideas in projects with future impact.”
Al Qubaisi continued: “The Agency places great importance on expanding participation in national space programs and on building a generation of innovators and researchers capable of leading the UAE’s progress in advanced science and technology. The initiative serves as a practical model for the integration of efforts between academic institutions, industry partners, and government organizations to achieve the objectives of the National Space Strategy 2030.”
Organised in collaboration with SpacePoint, a UAE-based startup, the Lander Challenge attracted more than 450 students from various academic institutions across the UAE, with 40 qualifying for the final stage. The challenge aims to inspire students’ spirit of research and innovation by having students design, assemble, and test a 1U lander capable of controlled landing on a simulated asteroid surface as part of the EMA.
The collaboration with SpacePoint highlights the importance of empowering startups and their role in fostering innovation and developing national capabilities in the space sector. This supports the UAE’s vision for creating a knowledge-based economy driven by advanced technology.
Three teams won the Lander Challenge after presenting innovative engineering solutions. Team Al-Najm focused on designing a landing mechanism for a CubeSat capable of safely landing on another planet’s surface. Team Falcon X developed a fully mechanical landing system designed to protect a 1U CubeSat during a 5-metre free fall, relying solely on structural deformation and TPU damping to absorb impact energy. Team Stellar X developed a fully 3D-printed passive system that protects a 500 g CubeSat during 2-5 metres impacts using only mechanical damping.
Furthermore, the SpaceAware Application Challenge, which was held in collaboration with Khalifa University of Science and Technology, attracted 45 students. The challenge focused on designing an asteroid-themed mobile application around the concept of asteroids to support the EMA.
Three innovative projects won the SpaceAware Application Challenge. The first winner, EMA Mission Tracker project, is an AI-driven mobile application that revolutionises how mission teams monitor and manage deep-space operations. The second winner, SpaceWise Ai project, is an educational application designed to raise awareness about real space mission failures and successes through an interactive, AI-powered learning experience. The third winner, AURORA Mission X project, is a UAE-focused deep-space landing simulator that trains cadets in precision lunar descent and mission readiness.
Abdullah Al Salmani, Co-Founder & CEO of SpacePoint, said: “I am truly impressed by the high quality of lander designs we received. Seeing school students compete strongly with university teams and secure their place in the finals was a remarkable achievement. What stood out as well was the participation from more than 22 universities across the UAE, which speaks volumes about the national appetite for hands-on innovation.”
Al Salmani added: “Our collaboration with the UAE Space Agency on this challenge is a pivotal moment for Spacepoint as a UAE-based startup. It strengthens our credibility as we continue to expand internationally and broaden our presence in the region by empowering youth and promoting education and innovation in space science and technology wherever we go.”
His Excellency Professor Ebrahim Al Hajri, President, Khalifa University, said: “We are delighted to join the UAE Space Agency’s Planet X Challenge initiative and congratulate the final winners of the Space Awareness Apps Challenge’ at Dubai Airshow 2025. The challenge targeted startups, as well as school and university students majoring in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, testing their creative skills and scientific knowledge. Having generated such widespread interest, this multidisciplinary contest, we believe, will emphatically inspire a new generation of student scientists to explore careers in space, aerospace, and advanced technologies and create a comprehensive ecosystem in the UAE, unrivalled in the region.”
Ayesha Sharafi, EMA Capability Development Manager, said: “These students’ innovations are a true model for employing scientific and technical knowledge in practical projects with future impact.”
Sharafi continued: “The solutions of the winning teams in the Planet X Challenge, whether in the Lander Challenge or the SpaceAware Application Challenge, will contribute to supporting the EMA by enhancing the efficiency of mission teams and improving simulation and training capabilities. This reflects our commitment to empowering the next generation of national researchers and innovators, and honing their skills to meet the requirements of the advanced space sector.”
During the Dubai Airshow 2025, participants presented their innovative ideas and shared their research and development experiences in space exploration—reflecting the growing interest of the young generation in science, technology, and space in the UAE.
The Planet X Challenge aims to contribute to building robust and well-connected experts in space, aerospace, and advanced technologies. Participants learnt how to design, build, and program systems for deep space exploration.
This multidisciplinary competition inspires youth and startups in the UAE who are passionate about science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), offering them opportunities to take part in the EMA. The challenge also contributes to fostering a culture of space innovation and driving research and development opportunities within the academic community.