UAE’s Hope Probe: Key data on Al Amal and its journey to Mars

UAE’s Hope Probe: Key data on Al Amal and its journey to Mars

Here are some facts about the UAE's project, which draws inspiration from the Middle East's golden age of cultural and scientific achievements.





The first Arab space mission to Mars is scheduled to blast off from Japan on Monday, July 20 on a mission to unravel from above the weather dynamics in the Red Planet's atmosphere.

The unmanned probe named 'Al Amal' - Arabic for Hope - is to take off after being delayed by bad weather, marking the next step in the United Arab Emirates' ambitious space programme. (Complete coverage of UAE's mission to Mars).

Here are some facts and figures about theUAE's project, which draws inspiration from the Middle East's golden age of cultural and scientific achievements.

The UAE, made up of seven emirates including the capital Abu Dhabi and freewheeling Dubai, has nine functioning satellites in orbit with plans to launch another eight in coming years.

In September, it sent the first Emirati into space - Hazza AlMansouri, who was part of a three-member crew. They blasted off on a Soyuz rocket from Kazakhstan, returning home after an eight-day mission in which he became the first Arab to visit the International Space Station.

But the UAE's ambitions go well beyond that,