VIDEO: Emirates Mars Mission Hope Probe spacecraft encapsulated for liftoff – Gulf Today

  • Date: 08-Jul-2020
  • Source: Gulf Today
  • Sector:Defense
  • Country:Gulf
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VIDEO: Emirates Mars Mission Hope Probe spacecraft encapsulated for liftoff – Gulf Today

Emirati team works on the Hope Probe spacecraft.

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

Achieving a critical milestone in its readiness for launch, the Emirates Mars Mission - Hope Probe spacecraft was encapsulated within the payload fairing ahead of its liftoff from the Tanegashima Space Centre (TNSC), in Japan on July 15, 2020.

"All testing and checks leading to the full launch and mission-readiness are currently being carried out,“ read a joint statement by UAE Space Agency and the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre, MBRSC, adding that the capsule has been positioned securely onto the rocket.

"Throughout the process, the team continues to monitor the stages of the Probe. This will be followed by joint operations with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI), to trickle-charge the spacecraft and set it for takeoff. This stage also included functional tests of the spacecraft subsystems, along with electrical power, communication, altitude control, command and control, propulsion, thermal control and software systems,“ the Centre noted in a statement.

The encapsulated Probe has been transferred to another building where the rocket [first and the second stage] and the launch pad are located. The mounting of the spacecraft onto the rocket involved a thorough monitoring of the interface points, ensuring that all was in order.

Subsequently,