Emirati engineers with the Hope probe in the clean room at the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre headquarters. Courtesy: MBRSC
Emirati engineers with the Hope probe in the clean room at the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre headquarters. Courtesy: MBRSC
The Hope spacecraft was delivered to Japan on board the world's largest cargo plane in April. The overall journey from Dubai to the Tanegashima Space Centre took 83 hours. Courtesy: MBRSC
The Hope spacecraft was delivered to Japan on board the world's largest cargo plane in April. The overall journey from Dubai to the Tanegashima Space Centre took 83 hours. Courtesy: MBRSC
The Japanese H-IIA rocket that will deliver Hope to space on July 15. Courtesy: Dubai Media Office
The Japanese H-IIA rocket that will deliver Hope to space on July 15. Courtesy: Dubai Media Office
The probe underwent several different tests in the clean room prior to its departure to Japan, including being exposed to extreme temperatures. Courtesy: MBRSC
The probe underwent several different tests in the clean room prior to its departure to Japan, including being exposed to extreme temperatures. Courtesy: MBRSC
The probe before the solar panels were installed. Courtesy: Wam
The probe before the solar panels were installed. Courtesy: Wam
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, accompanied by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, visited the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre ​​​​​​​as the last external part of the Hope Probe was installed. Courtesy: Wam
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, accompanied by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, visited the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre ​​​​​​​as the last external part of the Hope Probe was installed. Courtesy: Wam

Science

Rocket carrying UAE's Hope probe prepared for launch pad

The Japanese-built H-IIA will be manoeuvered onto the launch site on Tuesday

Sarwat Nasir
Sarwat Nasir
UAE

July 13, 2020

  • English
  • Arabic

The rocket set to carry the UAE's Hope probe into space this week will be manoeuvered onto the launch pad for the first time on Tuesday.

Engineers from Mitshubishi Heavy Industries, the Japanese multi-national that built the system, said the countdown for blast-off was on schedule.

Hope's mission to explore Mars is a first for the Arab world and is viewed as a major step forward for the Emirates' burgeoning space sector.

If all goes to plan, the rocket and its payload will take off from Tanegashima Island in Japan on July 15 at 12.51am UAE time.

“There is concern about rain and lightning from the afternoon of the 14th until the launch time,” said Keiji Suzuki, director of the Mitsubishi launch site service team.

“But we will proceed as planned while judging the weather conditions.”

He said that any thunderstorms over the site were not expected to last long.

Once delivered into space on board the H-IIA rocket, the Hope probe will begin its journey to the Red Planet.

The journey of millions of kilometres is expected to take around 200 days, with the timing of the launch designed to take advantage of Mars’ relatively close proximity to Earth.

Amer Al Sayegh, the senior director of space engineering at the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre in Dubai, said preparations for the take-off looked good.

"We have regular meetings that will always give us the updates on the mission, but so far everything sounds very appealing for a smooth launch early Wednesday," he told The National.

“As we get closer to the launch, several other checks are being conducted.”

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2011 Lewis Hamilton (McLaren)

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A homegrown card payment scheme launched by the National Payments Corporation of India and backed by the Reserve Bank of India, the country’s central bank

RuPay process payments between banks and merchants for purchases made with credit or debit cards

It has grown rapidly in India and competes with global payment network firms like MasterCard and Visa.

In India, it can be used at ATMs, for online payments and variations of the card can be used to pay for bus, metro charges, road toll payments

The name blends two words rupee and payment

Some advantages of the network include lower processing fees and transaction costs

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Vitamin D: Highly relevant in the UAE due to limited sun exposure; supports bone health, immunity and mood.Vitamin B12: Important for nerve health and energy production, especially for vegetarians, vegans and individuals with absorption issues.Iron: Useful only when deficiency or anaemia is confirmed; helps reduce fatigue and support immunity.Omega-3 (EPA/DHA): Supports heart health and reduces inflammation, especially for those who consume little fish.

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Director: Hasan Hadi

Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem 

Rating: 4/5

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