Shafaq News/ mission called “Hope”, the Arab region's first attempt to go interplanetary, is on its way to Mars.
According to space.com, Hope blasted off from Japan's Tanegashima Space Center atop a Mitsubishi Heavy Industries H-IIA rocket on Sunday (July 19) at 5:58 p.m. EDT (21:58 GMT). The spacecraft separated from the rocket about an hour after liftoff and was expected to deploy its solar panels to power the seven-month cruise to Mars.
"Years of hard work and dedication have paid off in a big way," Ambassador Yousef Al Otaiba said shortly after the launch during a virtual watch party. "This is a huge accomplishment, but it's just the beginning."
"It's hard to put the words together but honestly, watching that take off, knowing how hard it was, knowing how challenging it was, witnessing that success made me feel immense pride," Al Otaiba said. "I think every Emirati on the face of the planet should go around feeling proud of what his country has managed to accomplish today."
The launch had originally been scheduled for July 14 but was delayed multiple times due to poor weather conditions at the launch site.
The $200 million Hope mission, also called the Emirates Mars Mission, is the UAE's first foray into interplanetary exploration, and its arrival was designed to mark the nation's 50th anniversary. In particular, mission planners wanted a project that would kickstart the nation's technology and science sectors as the country looks for an economic model that can sustain it beyond its oil wealth.