The countdown to the launch of the "Probe of Hope" in its historic mission from the space station on Tanegashima Island in Japan has officially started, in implementation of the plan within the Emirates Mars Exploration Project which is proceeding according to the approved schedule despite the challenges caused by the spread of the emerging corona virus "Covid 19".
On July 15, a target date for the launch of the probe was determined, and it is the first day within the "launch window" for this historic space mission. This window extends until August 13, knowing that setting the date for the "launch window" is subject to accurate scientific calculations related to the movement of the orbits of both the Earth and Mars And to ensure that the probe reaches its planned orbit around Mars in the shortest possible time and with the lowest possible energy .. The "launch window" period extends for several days in anticipation of climatic conditions and the movement of orbits and others.
The official announcement of the start of the countdown to launch the "Probe of Hope" to Mars coincides with the tireless efforts of the team currently in the space station in Japan to prepare the probe for launch.
And after completing the operations of moving the probe from Dubai to Japan on a journey that spanned more than 83 hours by land, air and sea.
According to the plan, the probe of hope will launch to Mars at 5:51:27 am Japanese time "00:51:27 after midnight Emirates time" on Wednesday, 15 July 2020 from the Tanegashima Space Center using the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries / MHI H2A platform. /.
And "Mitsubishi Heavy Industries" was chosen due to its outstanding performance and good reputation in the space technology circles around the world and its record of one of the highest success rates of launching spacecraft and satellites globally.
Since the launch of a Japanese space missile development program, Japan has relied on "Mitsubishi Heavy Industries" in various aspects of manufacturing to launch satellites.
The company has a record rate of successful satellite launches, which makes it a major player in the level of space activities in Japan and the world. And the United Arab Emirates previously used it to launch the satellite "Khalifa Sat".
It is expected that the probe of hope will reach the orbit of Mars in February 2021, in conjunction with the celebrations of the UAE’s golden jubilee and the passage of 50 years since the declaration of the Union in 1971.
The Minister of State responsible for the file of advanced sciences and the leader of the scientific team for the Emirates project to explore Mars Sarah Bint Youssef Al-Amiri confirmed that the start of the official countdown to the launch of the "probe of hope" in his historical mission to explore the Red Planet according to what is planned and implementation of the approved schedule is a message of hope and positive energy New to humanity in light of the current challenges and conditions in the world.
She said that the challenges overcome by the "Probe of Hope" team, which includes a group of Emirati experts and engineers in order to reach this stage of achievement confirms that the emblem of the UAE "nothing is impossible" with which the probe will bring to Mars has become a general culture and a usual practice for young women And the youth of this dear homeland.
She added that the probe of hope embodies the aspirations of the UAE and its positive message to the region and the world with the importance of continuing to work with passion and confronting the circumstances, changes and challenges with determination to find solutions aimed at the welfare of people and humanity, which reflects the visions of the rational leadership of the state in this regard.
And she said: "The team will continue its tireless efforts to successfully complete the mission despite its difficult and challenges that we may face, and we will collectively celebrate the arrival of the probe to Mars in February 2021, in conjunction with the country’s 50th anniversary celebrations."
She stressed that the most important achievement accomplished by the Emirates project to explore Mars despite its many achievements so far, the important scientific experiences gained by the national work team that qualify it to lead the operations of building an advanced and sustainable space sector in the country as one of the most important pillars of scientific progress in the future, and this team is the hope of the UAE In this regard, during the next stage, with the accumulated important scientific experiences you have with their work in this qualitative global project.
Since its successful arrival at the space station on Tanegashima Island in Japan, the Hope Probe undergoes ultra-accurate processing operations for launch. These operations take 50 working days and include filling the fuel tank for the first time with about 700 kilograms of hydrogen fuel, checking the fuel tank and ensuring that there are no leaks, in addition to Test communication and control devices, transfer the probe to the launch pad, install the probe on the rocket that will carry it to space, and charge the probe batteries for the last time.
And there are currently a group of young Emirati cadres to lead the processing and supervision operations on every aspect of preparing the probe to launch in its historic space mission.
One of the young Emirati cadres, Omar Al Shehhi, will be on the team supervising the launch of the probe into space via the H-IIA H2A missile.
The team supervising the operations of preparing the Hope probe for launch includes a group of young national talents, namely Imran Sharaf Al Hashemi, Project Manager for the Emirates Mars Exploration “Probe of Hope”, Suhail Al Dhafari Al Muhairi, Deputy Project Director for the probe development, Omar Al Shehhi, Leader of the Probe Preparation Operations team for the launch and Mohsen Al Awadi Systems Engineer Probe, Risk Management Officer, Youssef Al-Shehhi, Thermal Systems Engineer, Khalifa Al-Muhairi, Communication Systems Engineer, Issa Al-Muhairi, Energy Systems Engineer, Ahmed Al-Yamahi, Mechanical Systems Engineer, Mahmoud Al-Awadi, Mechanical Systems Engineer, and Muhammad Al-Amri, Da’a Systems Engineer Ground m.
It should be noted that due to the spread of the new Corona virus "Covid-19" and the implementation of the precautionary health measures taken by most of the countries of the world to combat it, the team of the probe transport of hope was divided into 3 teams to overcome the challenges associated with transportation and to adhere to the predetermined time plan.
The first team arrived in Japan on April 6, 2020 and then underwent 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 within the national cadres at the space base after the expiration of the period of being quarantined for two weeks. As for the team The third reserve is currently in the Emirates and is ready to provide urgent support and assistance if necessary.
The journey of transporting the Hope probe from Dubai to the launch site for space on Tanegashima Island in Japan has spanned more than 83 hours and went through three major stages of accuracy, necessitating the activation of specific scientific procedures and the provision of integrated logistical conditions to ensure the completion of the process of the probe optimally.
The "Probe of Hope" is a national project that translates the vision of the UAE leadership to build an Emirati space program that reflects the country's commitment to strengthening frameworks of international cooperation and partnership with a view to finding solutions to global challenges for the good of humanity.
The "Probe of Hope", which is the first Arab project to explore other planets, carries a message of hope for all the peoples of the region to revive a history rich in Arab and Islamic achievements in science and embodies the ambition of the UAE and the continued drive of its leadership to challenge the impossible and overcome it and consolidate this trend is a value rooted in the identity of the state and the culture of its children as it is a contribution Emirati women in shaping and making a promising future for humanity.