Small Gulf State With Big Dreams, UAE Plans To Send “Hope” For The Study Of Mars In 2020

• comments
• 
• 

Space linked missions seemed to be a serious business of Developed nations like the US, Russia, France etc. but now space technology is taking a new turn with the emergence of Arabian nationals who are eager to achieve a name in the field. UAE is planning to send a science mission to mars in 2020.

Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) in Dubai is working to launch a spacecraft called "Hope" which will orbit the planet Mars and collect the information about its atmosphere. The mission will be carried out by a team comprising of 120 Arab scientists who are currently preparing to review the design of the spacecraft, as reports Science Magazine.

The dream was basically of Sheikh Zayed who had interest in space. He established programs to send Emirati young students to developed countries to study and receive training at NASA, according to the Data Post.

Bethany Ehlmann works as a planetary geologist at NASA's Jet Propulsion laboratory, says that the Emirates space mission "Hope" will bring data to us which we did not have before. She hopes to build up a picture of earth's neighboring planet.

The launching rocket of "Hope" is made in Japan and it is destined to orbit the planet in a way to cover the entire planet, as the Arabs claim. It is going to take a lower inclination orbit that will allow the spacecraft to monitor the atmosphere at various latitudes.

What the study of Mars atmosphere is going to add to the knowledge of scientists about the planet and possibility of life is there is not yet certain. But mere the fact that they have already spent $5.4 billion on a space mission is adding to their pride.  

The habitants of the oil-rich-state are hopeful that they will be able to tackle a question that has wondered all before: "why the Martian water vapor is dried in the lower atmosphere and why oxygen and hydrogen escapes from the upper atmosphere?" This question has crippled the scientists from reaching to a satisfactory answer but will the new Emirati generation find a clue?