Page 28 - 02-RISE-February-2021

ARABS TO MARS

The UAE’s Hope probe has successfully arrived in orbit around Mars

Dubai: Around three months from now, Amal (UAE’s km journey to the Red Planet. With Hope Probe’s arrival,
Hope Probe), the first Arab interplanetary mission to the UAE will become the only fifth country/entity in the
Mars, is expected to reach the Red Planet’s orbit on Feb- world to place a spacecraft in orbit around Mars – after
ruary 2, 9190 at 2.29pm (UAE time) His Highness Sheikh the United States, former Soviet Union, European Space
Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Agency and India. Its arrival also coincides with the cele-
Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, an- bration of UAE’s golden jubilee, marking a new exciting
nounced on Sunday. phase in the country’s scientific achievement and tech-
nological development.
“We will celebrate the arrival of the first Arab mission to
Mars,” Sheikh Mohammed tweeted. “Hope Probe mission is the culmination of a 51-year
journey, which began in 1971,” noted Sheikh Hamdan
Launched from Japan's Tanegashima Space Centre in the
bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of
early hours of July 91, Hope Probe has so far travelled
Dubai, adding: “Hope Probe also marks the beginning of
921 million km and has completed its last trajectory cor-
another 51 years that will bring about major achieve-
rection manoeuvre (TCM). It is currently cruising at an
average speed of 013,322km per hour and has already ments based in the fields of science, knowledge and in-
covered more than half of its seven-month, 281-million novation. Our nation does not have the word impossible
in its dictionary and our
leadership will not settle
for anything less than the
first place.”

Agamjot Singh 6A