UAE’s First Mars Mission Launched From Japan, Expected to Enter Orbit in February

The Arab Space Mission finally launched its Mars mission ‘Hope’ to Mars on Monday. However, its launch was delayed due to weather.

According to the news agency AFP, during the launch, a live feed showed the rocket carrying an unmanned probe, known as “Al-Amal” in Arabic, was launched from Tanegashima Space Center in southern Japan.

Rocket maker Mitsubishi Heavy Industries said in a statement released soon after launch that we have taken the Emirates Mars Mission (EMM) Hope SpaceCraft from H-IIA vehicle number 42 (H-IIA F 42) to local Japanese time at 6.58.14 pm ( Night 9.58, GMT). Five minutes after launch, the rocket was performing the first separation of its flight.

United Arab Emirates says its space probe is functioning & sending signals after launch as it heads toward Mars: The Associated Press https://t.co/Ib8e4oOe0g

— ANI (@ANI) July 20, 2020

According to the news agency Associated Press, the United Arab Emirates says that its space probe is working and sending signals after launching for Mars.

The Emirati project is one of three racing for Mars, including Tianwen-1 from China and Mars 2020 from the United States, taking advantage of a period when Earth and Mars are closest.

The UAE team during the final checks before the launch of the Hope Probe, the first Arab interplanetary mission, at the Tanegashima Space Centre in Japan.#HopeMarsMission pic.twitter.com/aqIZmOS11C

— Hope Mars Mission (@HopeMarsMission) July 19, 2020

It will be small in October
According to NASA, Mars will be 38.6 million miles (62.07 million kilometers) smaller than Earth in October.

The ‘Hope’ is expected to reach the orbit of Mars in February 2021 on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the integration of the seven Emiratis’ alliance, the UAE.

Unlike the two other Mars ventures scheduled for this year, it will not land on the red planet, but will instead orbit it for the entire Martian year or 687 days.