17th May 2015

UAE mission to Mars planned for 2021

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has reaffirmed its commitment to sending a probe to Mars in 2021. More details have emerged of the planned mission, which is timed to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the UAE's formation. In this new video, from the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC), scientists explain how the 1,500 kilogram Hope (or "al-Amal" in Arabic) spacecraft will study the Martian atmosphere and climate.

If successful, not only will it become the first Arabian mission to Mars, it will also create the first planet-wide picture of how the Martian atmosphere changes throughout the day and between seasons. This could improve our understanding of how aerosols, ozone, water ice, water vapour and other physical processes affect us here on Earth, while also being useful in planning future manned colonies. The resulting data will be shared freely with over 200 institutions worldwide. More information is available on the MBRSC website, which includes an image gallery.

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