• The final version of UAE's Hope spacecraft, which launched to space on July 20. Courtesy: Dubai Media Office
    The final version of UAE's Hope spacecraft, which launched to space on July 20. Courtesy: Dubai Media Office
  • The operations control centre at Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre in Dubai. Antonie Robertson / The National
    The operations control centre at Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre in Dubai. Antonie Robertson / The National
  • The Hope probe has three scientific instruments. This is the Emirates Mars Infrared Spectrometre, which will measure the global distribution of dust, ice clouds, water vapour and the temperature of the Martian atmosphere. All photos courtesy of MBRSC
    The Hope probe has three scientific instruments. This is the Emirates Mars Infrared Spectrometre, which will measure the global distribution of dust, ice clouds, water vapour and the temperature of the Martian atmosphere. All photos courtesy of MBRSC
  • Engineers had installed the Mars infrared spectrometre on the Hope probe at Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre' clean room
    Engineers had installed the Mars infrared spectrometre on the Hope probe at Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre' clean room
  • The Emirates Eploration Imager will take high-resolution images of Mars and will study its lower atmosphere
    The Emirates Eploration Imager will take high-resolution images of Mars and will study its lower atmosphere
  • The exploration imager has an autonomous digital camera and will send back high-resolution colour images
    The exploration imager has an autonomous digital camera and will send back high-resolution colour images
  • The Emirates Mars Ultraviolet Spectrometer will study the upper atmosphere and traces of oxygen and hydrogen
    The Emirates Mars Ultraviolet Spectrometer will study the upper atmosphere and traces of oxygen and hydrogen
  • Emirati engineers have worked with three American universities for this mission
    Emirati engineers have worked with three American universities for this mission

UAE Mars Mission launch: latest updates as Hope probe prepares for lift off


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UPDATE: this blog is now closed, please join us again for the latest updates closer to the launch time.

The UAE is heading back into space – and this time it is to Mars.

Lift off was scheduled for 12.51am UAE time, on July 15, from Japan’s Tanegashima Space Centre but has since been postponed due to poor weather.

On Tuesday, the UAE Government said the probe would be launched on Friday, July 17, at 12.43am UAE time.

Emirati engineers in Japan have been doing final checks on the probe since April.

Once launched, Hope will take seven months to reach the Red Planet, where it will capture images and study Mars. Follow the latest developments here.

More on the UAE in space:

Living in...

This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home. 

What is a robo-adviser?

Robo-advisers use an online sign-up process to gauge an investor’s risk tolerance by feeding information such as their age, income, saving goals and investment history into an algorithm, which then assigns them an investment portfolio, ranging from more conservative to higher risk ones.

These portfolios are made up of exchange traded funds (ETFs) with exposure to indices such as US and global equities, fixed-income products like bonds, though exposure to real estate, commodity ETFs or gold is also possible.

Investing in ETFs allows robo-advisers to offer fees far lower than traditional investments, such as actively managed mutual funds bought through a bank or broker. Investors can buy ETFs directly via a brokerage, but with robo-advisers they benefit from investment portfolios matched to their risk tolerance as well as being user friendly.

Many robo-advisers charge what are called wrap fees, meaning there are no additional fees such as subscription or withdrawal fees, success fees or fees for rebalancing.

Red flags
  • Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
  • Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
  • Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
  • Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
  • Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.

Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching

The specs: 2018 Jaguar F-Type Convertible

Price, base / as tested: Dh283,080 / Dh318,465

Engine: 2.0-litre inline four-cylinder

Transmission: Eight-speed automatic

Power: 295hp @ 5,500rpm

Torque: 400Nm @ 1,500rpm

Fuel economy, combined: 7.2L / 100km

BMW M5 specs

Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor

Power: 727hp

Torque: 1,000Nm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh650,000

The biog

From: Upper Egypt

Age: 78

Family: a daughter in Egypt; a son in Dubai and his wife, Nabila

Favourite Abu Dhabi activity: walking near to Emirates Palace

Favourite building in Abu Dhabi: Emirates Palace

LOS ANGELES GALAXY 2 MANCHESTER UNITED 5

Galaxy: Dos Santos (79', 88')
United: Rashford (2', 20'), Fellaini (26'), Mkhitaryan (67'), Martial (72')

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
MATCH INFO

Uefa Champions League final:

Who: Real Madrid v Liverpool
Where: NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium, Kiev, Ukraine
When: Saturday, May 26, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: Match on BeIN Sports

The specs

Engine: 5.0-litre supercharged V8

Transmission: Eight-speed auto

Power: 575bhp

Torque: 700Nm

Price: Dh554,000

On sale: now

Global state-owned investor ranking by size

1.

United States

2.

China

3.

UAE

4.

Japan

5

Norway

6.

Canada

7.

Singapore

8.

Australia

9.

Saudi Arabia

10.

South Korea

UK’s AI plan
  • AI ambassadors such as MIT economist Simon Johnson, Monzo cofounder Tom Blomfield and Google DeepMind’s Raia Hadsell
  • £10bn AI growth zone in South Wales to create 5,000 jobs
  • £100m of government support for startups building AI hardware products
  • £250m to train new AI models
Arabian Gulf Cup FINAL

Al Nasr 2

(Negredo 1, Tozo 50)

Shabab Al Ahli 1

(Jaber 13)

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%3Cp%3ECelebrated%20on%20October%2016%2C%20to%20coincide%20with%20the%20founding%20date%20of%20the%20United%20Nations%20Food%20and%20Agriculture%20Organisation%2C%20World%20Food%20Day%20aims%20to%20tackle%20issues%20such%20as%20hunger%2C%20food%20security%2C%20food%20waste%20and%20the%20environmental%20impact%20of%20food%20production.%20%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A