The space agency the United Arab Emirates has launched its historic first mission to Mars. The UAE launched its Hope probe an H2-A rocket a spaceport in Japan on Monday. The probe is an incredible 500-million-km journey to study the weather and climate the Red Planet. Hope is scheduled to arrive Mars' orbit in February 2021, to coincide the 50th anniversary the formation of the UAE. The Emirates Mars Mission will stay in the Martian orbit 687 days. It will collect data samples of the Martian atmosphere to analyse. Scientists in Dubai hope their findings will add to our understanding of how Mars lost a lot of its air and water, as well as springing a few surprises.
The UAE has joined the ranks long-established pioneering space giants such as the USA, Russia, China, India and Japan. Entering the field space exploration is a testament to the ambitions this young country. The Khaleej Times newspaper explained how momentous the Hope probe is the UAE. It wrote: "It's an understatement to say that the UAE made history last night. using history as a springboard, the UAE has catapulted itself and along it the world the future - a future of insight and intelligence, mere imagination. For more than 400 million Arabs the world, one hour, 58 minutes and 14 seconds past midnight last night was a moment that epitomised an eternity."
