Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum reviewed the designs of Hope Probe, as part of the Emirates Mars Mission. The project will send an unmanned probe to Mars by 2021 marking the UAE’s 50th National Day.
Sheikh Mohammed gave greenlight to start manufacturing the probe’s prototypes, the Arab world’s first Mars probe. The project place the UAE with the nine countries that aim to explore Mars.
His Highness said: “UAE ambitions is to explore the outer space. We are investing in our national cadres to lead this project and contribute in expanding our knowledge about Mars. Hope Probe is a qualitative leap for UAE’s scientific efforts, it the first contribution for the
Arab world in this regard”.
Sheikh Mohammed’s remarks came while visiting the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) to opens the 2nd phase of UAE satellite manufacturing and assembling complex, a multitasking facility capable of handling several space projects at a time.
Signaling the beginning of manufacturing process, Sheikh Mohammed installed the first part of KhalifaSat, the first Arab satellite which is being built purely by Emirati engineering and expertise in the UAE. KhalifaSat is set to launch in 2018.
KhalifaSat provides satellite imaging capabilities at an industry competitive Ground Sampling Distance of 0.7m panchromatic and 4m in multispectral bands to governmental and commercial entities and corporations worldwide.
Crown Prince of Dubai His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior His Highness Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of Mohammed
