UAE successfully launches historic mission to Mars ‘Al-Amal’, Hope Probe
The United Arab Emirates has launched its first historic mission to Mars, the ‘Hope Probe,’ from Japan’s Tanegashima Space Center on Monday.
It will be a seven-month journey to the planet Mars and it aims to provide a complete picture of the planet’s atmosphere for the first time, studying daily and seasonal changes. It will orbit and send back data about the atmosphere
The live feed of the launch showed the rocket carrying the probe lifting off from the Tanegashima Space Centre in southern Japan at 6.58 am (9.58 pm GMT).
Read More : UAE postpones Mars mission due to rough weather
Moments that make history… The Emirates Mars Mission team participates in the first Arabic countdown from Japan… The countdown that ushers a new era for Arab space exploration. #HopeMarsMission #HopeProbe pic.twitter.com/PaKk75e5F9
— Hope Mars Mission (@HopeMarsMission) July 19, 2020
UAE Mars mission’s deputy project manager Sarah al-Amiri on the successful launch of Hope Mission Mars declared it “an indescribable feeling” to see the probe blasting off.
Amiri, who is also minister of state for advanced sciences, told Dubai TV from the launch site, that “This is the future of the UAE”.
As being reported, this Emirati project is one of three racing to Mars, including Tianwen-1 from China and Mars 2020 from the United States, taking advantage of a period when the Earth and Mars are nearest.
Hope is expected to reach Mars’s orbit by February 2021, marking the 50th anniversary of the unification of the UAE, an alliance of seven emirates.
The Emirates Mars Mission has cost $200m. Emiratis and Dubai’s Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) worked with US educational institutions to develop and build the Hope Probe.
The UAE first announced plans for the mission in 2014 and launched a National Space Programme in 2017 to develop local expertise.
It has an ambitious plan for a Mars settlement by 2117.
On the successful launch, Hope Probe is receiving congratulatory messages from all over the world:
A New Hope: One more robot is on the way to Mars! Best wishes the @HopeMarsMission on the successful launch today. Enjoy the cruise, and I'll see you soon. pic.twitter.com/WD6Ma0LrVY
— Curiosity Rover (@MarsCuriosity) July 19, 2020
https://twitter.com/JimBridenstine/status/1284996702181765125
To the @HopeMarsMission: Congratulations on your launch! I wish you a successful journey and look forward to the sol when we are both exploring Mars.
— NASA's Perseverance Mars Rover (@NASAPersevere) July 19, 2020
رحلة موفقة pic.twitter.com/AsnkYINX2C
Good luck, @HopeMarsMission as you begin your journey to the Red Planet! 🚀 We can’t wait to see you out there, and are proud to carry communications for your mission via the Deep Space Network: https://t.co/Wd52CQMs6q pic.twitter.com/MA6DTtfBXb
— NASA JPL (@NASAJPL) July 19, 2020
