The UAE is making some huge advancements in the global space scene, and now it’s been announced that the country is preparing to launch its Hope Probe to Mars.
Confirmed by the UAE Space Agency (UAESA) and the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC), the Emirates Mars Mission’s probe is set to launch mid-July, 2020.
The mission aims to collect information on Mars‘ meteorological layers and study the causes of loss of hydrogen and oxygen gases. Along with this, it will be the first time a space mission will be able to take a global picture of the Martian atmosphere. We’re intrigued.
After the launch, the Hope Probe is expected to reach Mars orbit in the first quarter of 2021. It’s a long trip, so we hope the probe doesn’t get too bored on its journey.
The probe will be launched from Tanegashima Space Centre in Japan. In preparation for it, the UAESA and MBRSC will be conducting environmental tests to make sure it’s all up to scratch.
The Hope Probe is expected to collect more than 1,000 GB of new data on the Red Planet.
“The Hope Probe will be a milestone in the UAE’s record of achievements, which began since the inception of the UAE. It is a confirmation to the whole world that the UAE has entered the global space exploration race and is determined to hold a leading position among the developed countries in this difficult and complex field,” said His Excellency Dr. Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi, Minister of State for Higher Education and Advanced Skills and Chairman of the UAE Space Agency.
As for the UAE actually putting humans on Mars, the UAE is aiming to build first inhabitable human settlement on Mars by 2117. But first, Dubai will have its very own complex of buildings called “Mars Scientific City” to prepare.
One long journey for a probe, one giant step for mankind.
