Media

 His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, and His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, have reviewed the final preparations of the Emirates Mars Mission team as the Hope probe is a few days away from arriving to Mars’ orbit in the first-ever Arab interplanetary mission.

In a meeting where both leaders discussed a number of strategic and national plans, Sarah Al Amiri, Minister of State for Advanced Technology and Chairperson of the UAE Space Agency, presented the last stages of the Hope probe’s journey, leading up to its expected arrival to the Red Planet’s orbit on Tuesday, Feb. 9, 2021 at 7:42pm UAE timing.

The probe’s successful arrival to Mars will make the UAE the fifth nation in the world to reach the Red Planet after the United States, Soviet Union, China, the European Space Agency and India, and the third to make the feat from the first attempt. Besides the UAE’s Hope probe, China and the US are leading exploration missions set to reach the Red Planet this month.

As the countdown for the Hope probe’s arrival begins, the UAE leaders invited the public in the UAE and across the region to celebrate the historic mission that represents the Arab world’s breakthrough in space exploration.

The meeting was attended by H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Executive Council and President of the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre; H.H. Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai; and H.H. Sheikh Tahnoun bin Zayed Al Nahyan, National Security Adviser.