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 project to explore Mars, which is proceeding according to the approved schedule, despite the challenges resulting from the outbreak of the global epidemic of the Corona epidemic (Covid 19).
On July 15, a target date for launching the probe is set, which is the first day within the "launch window" for this historic space mission. This window extends until August 13, 2020, knowing that setting the date for the "launch window" is subject to accurate scientific calculations, related to the movement of the orbits of each Planets of the Earth and Mars, ensuring that the probe reaches its planned orbit around Mars in the shortest possible time and with the least possible energy. The "launch window" period extends for several days, in anticipation of climatic conditions and the movement of orbits and others.
The announcement officially begins the start of the countdown to launch the "Probe of Hope" to Mars, in conjunction with the tireless efforts of the work team currently in the space station in Japan to prepare the probe for launch, as this announcement comes after the completion of the operations of moving the probe from Dubai to Japan in a journey that spanned For more than 83 hours by land, air and sea, in which all the current challenges resulting from the outbreak of the "Covid 19" epidemic were overcome globally.
According to the plan, the Hope probe will launch to Mars at 5:51:27 am Japanese time (00:51:27 after midnight Emirates time), on Wednesday, July 15, 2020 from the Tanegashima Space Center using the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries platform ( (MHI H2A) was selected, 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 artificial satellites globally, and since the launch of a Japanese space missile development program, Japan has relied on "Mitsubishi Heavy Industries" F. In all aspects of manufacturing until launching satellites, the company has a record rate of success in launching satellites, making it a key player in the level of space activities in Japan and the world, and the UAE has 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 for Advanced Sciences, Leader of the Scientific Team of the Emirates Mars Exploration Project, 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 in 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 overcoming 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 carry to Mars, has become a general culture And a usual practice among the young women and men of this dear homeland.
She added that the "Probe of Hope" embodies the UAE's ambitions and positive message to the region and the world with the importance of continuing to work with passion and confronting conditions, 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.
She stressed that the most important achievement achieved by the Emirates project to explore Mars, despite its many achievements so far, is the important scientific experiences acquired by the national team, which qualify it to lead the operations of building an advanced and sustainable space sector in the country, as it is one of the most important pillars of scientific progress in the future, and this team It is the hope of the UAE in this regard during the next stage, with the accumulation of 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 "Probe of Hope" is subject to high-accuracy processing operations for launch. These operations take 50 working days, and include filling the fuel tank for the first time with about 700 kg of hydrogen fuel, checking the fuel tank, and ensuring that there are no Any leaks, in addition to testing communication and control devices, moving the probe to the launch pad, installing the probe on the missile that will carry it into space, and charging the probe batteries for the last time.
There are currently a group of young Emirati cadres to lead the processing operations, and supervise every aspect of preparing the probe to launch in its historic space mission. One of the young Emirati cadres, Omar Al Shehhi, will also be part of the team overseeing the launch of the probe into space via the H-IIA missile.
It is noteworthy that, due to the outbreak of the Corona epidemic in the world, and in implementation of the precautionary health measures taken by most of the world to combat the virus, the "Probe of Hope" transfer work team was divided into three teams to overcome the challenges associated with transportation, and to adhere to the predetermined time plan, and arrived The first team arrived in Japan on April 6, 2020, after which they were subjected to quarantine, then they went out of it to be in reception of 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 their period of quarantine For health for two weeks, and the third reserve team currently it is located at the UAE, and is ready to provide immediate support and assistance if necessary.
83 hours from Dubai to Japan
The journey of transferring the "Probe of Hope" from Dubai to the launch site for space on Tanegashima Island in Japan, spanned more than 83 hours and went through three major phases of accuracy, which necessitated the activation of specific scientific procedures and the provision of integrated logistical conditions to ensure the completion of the probe transportation process in an optimal manner.
The first phase included the preparation and transportation of the probe from the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Center to Al Maktoum International Airport in Dubai, which lasted 16 hours, and the second phase of the Al Maktoum International Airport in Dubai extended to Nagoya Airport in Japan 11 hours, and included loading the probe and ground support equipment to the transport plane The giant logistical support giant "Antonov 124", which is the largest cargo plane in the world, and the third phase, stretched from Nagoya Airport to the launch site on Tanegashima Island, and included landing the probe from the plane and examining it and ensuring its safety, then transported by road from the airport to Shimama Port, and then its transfer by sea To Tanegashima Island, where the trip lasted 56 hours, after arriving from the port specialist on the island, the work of the team at the launch site to download and check the probe before you start processing operations for the launch.
- The upcoming launch date is July 15 at 00:51:27 after midnight Emirates time.
- Since the arrival of the "Probe of Hope" at the space station in Japan, it has been subjected to high-precision preparations for launch.