His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Center, General Supervisor of the “Probe of Hope” project, was briefed on the latest developments in the preparation of the probe to go to space to explore Mars, through a visual communication with the existing work team From Tanigashima space base in Japan, where His Highness followed up with the team the ongoing preparations for preparing the probe for launch next July, which takes about 50 working days.
His Highness the Crown Prince of Dubai praised the efforts of the probe team and the young national cadre working in the project, after the team demonstrated its success in completing the process of moving the probe from the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Center to the launch base in Japan, for 83 continuous hours, that the emblem of the UAE «nothing "Impossible", which the probe will carry with him to space, is applied in word and deed, and that "nothing is impossible" in the dictionary of the Sons of the Emirates, after they overcome all the challenges resulting from the spread of the new Corona epidemic (Covid-19), around the world and its consequences For air traffic and freight, most countries close their borders.
His Highness thanked the probe team, for having put this historic project as a priority in their lives, and they left the country, heading to Japan despite the exceptional health conditions that the world is going through, in order to successfully accomplish this mission, according to the schedule set for it.
His Highness the Crown Prince of Dubai pointed out that the challenges facing the world today, because of this epidemic, have proven how important it is to build an advanced and sustainable science and technology sector in the country ... and that space science be the heart of it, as it is one of the most important pillars of scientific progress in the future, including space exploration And other planets, and studying the effects of natural phenomena on them in a greater understanding of the planet and revealing more of its secrets.
During the communication via visual communication technology with the "Probe of Hope" team, His Highness said: "You are the future leaders, and the hope of the UAE in the coming stage, with the accumulated important scientific experiences you have, and you must transfer the knowledge that you gained through your work in this qualitative global project." To the various sectors in the country, because the exchange of knowledge and success stories and expanding the scope of using them are among the important objectives of this project. ”
His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum stressed that the "Probe of Hope" is an ambitious and difficult project, especially because it is through it that the UAE will join the Mars Explorers Club, a step that only a very limited number of countries in the world have made.
His Highness expressed his confidence in the ability of this distinguished team to overcome all challenges and difficulties, with God's help, and with the dedication and dedication of the team members. His Highness said: “We are confident that we will accomplish this mission, and we will celebrate, God willing, the arrival in Mars in 2021, in conjunction with the celebration of the golden jubilee of the country, and the passage of 50 years since the announcement of the Union.” Wishing him all of them and the Dubai support team all the best in the historic national mission. .
The team supervising the operations of preparing the Hope probe for the launch includes a group of young national talents, they are: Director of the Emirates Project for Exploring Mars «The Probe of Hope» Omran Sharaf Al Hashemi, the deputy project manager for the probe development for Suhail Al Dhafari Al Muhairi, and the leader of the operations team for preparing the probe for launch Omar Al Shehhi Probe Systems Engineer and Risk Management Officer Mohsen Al-Awadi, Thermal Systems Engineer Youssef Al-Shehhi, Communications Systems Engineer Khalifa Al-Muhairi, Energy Systems Engineer Isa Al-Muhairi, Mechanical Systems Engineer Ahmed Al-Yamahi, Mechanical Systems Engineer Mahmoud Al-Awadi, and Support Systems Engineer Ground floor Muhammad al-Amiri.
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, announced, through his account on Twitter, the successful completion of the transportation of the "Probe of Hope" to its launch site into space from the space station on Tanegashima Island in Japan. In implementation of the plan within the Emirates project to explore Mars, in preparation for its launch on time.
On his part, the director of the Emirates Project for the Exploration of Mars “Probe of Hope” at the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Center, Engineer Imran Sharaf, on behalf of the work team, thanked His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and to His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, for unlimited support and support for the project and the team.
In the meeting that was held with His Highness the Crown Prince of Dubai from a distance, Sharaf said that the “probe of hope” represented a great challenge from the moment it was announced, but thanks to the support and support of the rational leadership, the progressive achievements of the project continue, with aspiration for the biggest achievement which is to launch the probe successfully, and reach Mars on schedule.
He pointed out that the success of the process of moving the "Probe of Hope" to the launch site on Tanegashima Island in Japan according to the previously prepared plan, and at the highest levels of accuracy, reflects the keenness of the work team to complete the first project of its kind in the UAE and the region to achieve the vision of rational leadership, and confirms the ability of young people Emirati to employ the skills and experience they have acquired in the stages of design, development, testing, assembly and transportation.
And about his experience during the accompanying "Probe of Hope" on the largest cargo plane in the world from Dubai to Japan, said the probe systems engineer and risk management official Eng. Mohsen Al Awadi: «I had throughout the flight of the probe from Al Maktoum International Airport in Dubai to Nagoya Airport in Japan And for 11 hours, wearing masks and medical jumps, and this is an experience that I will not forget. ”He expressed sincere thanks and praise to His Highness the Crown Prince of Dubai for the support and assistance, and the opportunity to be aboard this historic trip, participating in this important event that is part of the return of the beautiful For our dear homeland.
Due to the outbreak of the Corona epidemic around the world, and in implementation of the precautionary health measures taken by most of the countries of the world to combat the virus, the team of transport of the probe of hope was divided into three teams, to overcome the challenges associated with transport operations, and to adhere to the predetermined time plan, and the first team arrived in Japan on the sixth From April 2020, they were subjected to quarantine, and then went out to be at the probe, while the second team arrived with the probe on April 21, and members of this team are currently in quarantine for two weeks, while the third reserve team is currently in the UAE, which is on Gift of willingness to provide urgent support and assistance, if necessary.
The working team currently in Japan is working on preparing the probe for launch, and this process takes 50 working days, and includes filling the fuel tank for the first time with about 700 kilograms of hydrogen fuel, and the fuel tank will be examined and made sure that there are no leaks, in addition to testing communication and control devices , Transferring the probe to the launch pad, installing the probe on the rocket that will carry it into space, and charging the probe batteries for the last time.
The first phase included the preparation and transportation of the probe from the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Center to the Al Maktoum International Airport in Dubai, which lasted 16 hours, and included the preparation and loading of the shipping container specially designed for the probe, and its rehabilitation with all the required equipment, to represent a clean mini mobile room that maintains the specified temperature and humidity, It works by using nitrogen to disinfect the probe and sensitive scientific devices from any dust particles in the atmosphere.
This was followed by the loading of the mechanical ground support equipment, which is the support devices for the probe, that help in moving and moving it, and electronic support equipment that helps to monitor the state of the probe during the flight, in addition to its use in preparations for launch, then transporting the special shipping container that includes the probe from the Mohammed Center Bin Rashid Aerospace to Al Maktoum International Airport aboard the truck at a leisurely speed, to reduce vibrations that the probe may be exposed to, until the container is equipped at the airport and loaded onto the plane that will fly to Japan.
The second phase of the Al Maktoum International Airport in Dubai extended to 11 hours in Nagoya Airport in Japan, and included loading the probe and ground support equipment to the giant transport plane of the giant "Antonov 124" logistics, the largest cargo plane in the world, and the project team escorted the probe To ensure his safety throughout the flight, the team also monitored the severity of the air bumps, in light of what severe vibrations could cause on the structure of the probe, and this phase ended with the handover of the probe upon arrival at the Nagoya Airport to the team in Japan.
As for the third stage, it extended from Nagoya Airport to the launch site on Tanegashima Island, and included landing the probe from the plane, examining it and ensuring its safety, then transporting it by road from the airport to Shimama Port, and then transferring it by sea to Tanegashima Island, where the flight spanned 56 hours, and after its arrival From the specialized port on the island, the team worked at the launch site to download and check the probe before starting preparations for the launch.
According to the approved plan, the Hope probe will launch to Mars in mid-July 2020 from the Tanegashima Space Center using the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI H2A) platform, and is expected to reach the red planet's orbit in the first quarter of February 2021.
Precise transfer process in 3 stages
The journey of moving the Hope probe from Dubai to the launch site for space on Tanegashima Island in Japan has gone through three major phases of delicacy, necessitating activating specific scientific procedures and providing integrated logistical conditions to ensure the optimal completion of the transfer of the probe.
Dubai Crown Prince:
"The current global challenges have demonstrated how important it is to build an advanced and sustainable Emirati science and technology sector."
"The Hope Probe team must transfer the acquired experience and knowledge to various sectors in the country."
Preparing the probe for launch takes 50 working days .. It includes:
Filling the fuel tank for the first time with about 700 kg of hydrogen fuel.
Check the fuel tank and make sure there are no leaks.
Test communication and control devices and transfer the probe to the launch pad.
Mount the probe onto the rocket that will carry it into space.
Charge the probe batteries for the last time before launch.