Dubai (AFP)
"Al-Amal" (Hope), the first Arab space mission to Mars, led by the United Arab Emirates, took off on Monday to provide a complete picture of the dynamics of temperature in the atmosphere of the red planet.
The takeoff of this unmanned spacecraft, broadcast online and live, took place as planned from the Tanegashima space center (southwest of Japan) at 06:58 local time (Sunday 21:58 GMT), after two postponements last week due to bad weather.
The space ambitions of this oil-rich Gulf country are seen as reminiscent of the golden age of the great cultural and scientific achievements of the Middle East. Here are some elements of understanding.
- Multitude of projects -
The federal state made up of seven emirates (or principalities), including the capital Abu Dhabi and the flashy Dubai, has nine functioning satellites in orbit and plans to launch eight more in the coming years.
The country's ambitions go even further since it plans to build a human colony on Mars by 2117.
In the meantime, he plans to create a "scientific city" in the desert on the outskirts of Dubai, in order to simulate Martian conditions and develop the technology necessary to colonize the planet.
The Emirates are also considering mining and space tourism projects. They signed a memorandum of understanding with Virgin Galactic, the space tourism company of British billionaire Richard Branson.
- The journey of "hope" -
Al-Amal, the 1,350 kg probe, the size of a 4x4, will take seven months to travel the 493 million km to Mars, in time to mark the 50th anniversary of the unification of the seven emirates in 2021.
The probe will remain in orbit for a whole Martian year, or 687 days.
This mission must study the atmosphere of Mars to "provide a first complete understanding" of its climatic variations over an entire year, said Sarah al-Amiri, Minister of Advanced Technologies of the Emirates and deputy director of the project, who was present in Japan at the time of launch.
- Inspire youth -
Three instruments fixed on "Hope" will provide a complete picture of the atmosphere of Mars throughout the Martian year.
An infrared spectrometer will measure the lower atmosphere and analyze the temperature structure, a high resolution imager will provide information on ozone levels and, finally, an ultraviolet spectrometer will measure oxygen and hydrogen levels from a distance of up to 43,000 kilometers from the surface.
Understanding the atmospheres of other planets should lead to a better understanding of the Earth's climate, say those responsible for the space mission.
In a region shaken by conflicts and weighed down by economic difficulties, the project is also considered as a way to inspire an entire generation and remind them of the peak of scientific advances in the Middle Ages.
"The Emirates wanted to send a strong message to the Arab youth and remind them of the past, that we were once generators of knowledge," said Omran Charaf, the project manager for the mission.
© 2020 AFP