The United Arab Emirates are just a few days away (July 15, 2020) from launching the Hope Probe to Mars. The Emirates Mars Mission (EMM) - Hope Probe will be the first probe to provide a complete picture of the Martian atmosphere and its layers when it reaches the red planet’s orbit in February 2021. The Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre, based in Dubai, is managing, developing and executing all stages of the program. 

Joining us from the Space Centre are Ayesha Al Sharafi, the EMM Lead for the Spacecraft Propulsion Subsystem, and Mohsen Al Awadhi, the EMM Lead Mission Systems Engineer.

Emirates Mars Mission Overview
The Emirates Mars Mission (EMM) ​is the United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) ​first mission to Mars. EMM is designed to ​orbit Mars and study the dynamics in ​the Martian atmosphere on a global scale, and on both diurnal and seasonal timescales. Using three scientific instruments on board of the spacecraft, EMM will provide a set of measurements fundamental to an improved understanding of ​circulation and weather in the Martian lower and middle atmosphere. Combining such data with the monitoring of the upper layers of the atmosphere, EMM measurements will reveal the mechanisms behind the upward transport of energy and particles, and the subsequent escape of atmospheric particles from the gravity of Mars.

For more information, visit https://www.emiratesmarsmission.ae/

Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre
The Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre, founded in 2006, is home to the UAE National Space Programme.  The Centre builds and operates earth observation satellites, offering imaging and data analysis services to clients around the world. The Centre launched DubaiSat-1, DubaiSat-2, and recently launched KhalifaSat on 29  October  2018  from  Tanegashima  Space Center in Japan.  KhalifaSat was developed  100% in the UAE  by  a team of highly qualified Emirati engineers.

The Centre is responsible for the development of the Emirates Mars Mission and the Mars  Hope  Probe,  a  mission  to  reach  Mars  orbit  by  2021  and  gather  key  science  data  about Mars’ atmosphere, as well as the UAE Astronaut Programme, which saw the launch of Hazzaa AlMansoori,  first  Emirati  Astronaut,  to  the  International  Space  Station  on  a  scientific  mission on 25th September 2019, and the development of the Mars 2117 vision to build a human colony on Mars.

For more information about the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Center visit https://www.mbrsc.ae/

Special thanks to Ben Cross (https://glimpsevideo.com/) for sharing his space journey in this episode!