The final preparations for the UAE’s Mars-bound ‘Hope Probe’ are underway, as the expected launch date of the unmanned probe, July 15, moves closer.
Seeking to establish the UAE’s entry into the space industry, the Emirates Mars Mission not only looks to become the Arab world’s first interplanetary mission, but also to help further its capabilities in space science and engineering, and develop local talent.
The Dubai-based space mission’s control team (operating out of the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre), is working in collaboration with Japan to send the unmanned probe into Mars’ orbit. It is expected to reach there by February 2021
The unmanned ‘Hope Probe’ will launch from Japan’s Tanegashima Space Centre, having undergone extensive testing operations there with a team of Emirati engineers supervising the probe’s pre-launch preparations.
“The Hope Probe embodies the culture of possibilities deeply rooted in the UAE’s approach, philosophy and journey of accelerating development since the foundation,” said Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai.
“Our journey to space represents a message of hope to every Arab citizen that we have the innovation, resilience and efforts to compete with the greatest of nations in the race for knowledge.”
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