Four years ago, on a tense February evening, I found myself driving to Dubai, my heart pounding in anticipation. The Hope spacecraft was hurtling towards Mars, and the world held its breath. The next few hours were crucial. Would it successfully enter orbit, or would it drift into the unknown?
As I sat in the front row of an outdoor seating area near the Burj Khalifa, under the open sky, due to Covid-19 restrictions, Sarah Al Amiri, the former chairperson of the space agency, now the Minister of Education, stood on stage, her presence commanding attention as she outlined the possible outcomes. Each scenario was as thrilling as it was nerve-wracking. Omran Sharaf, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Advanced Science and Technology, was in the mission control room, monitoring the spacecraft's data. Both had been spearheading the mission from the very beginning.
Then came the moment of truth. The cool evening air vibrated with excitement as news of Hope's successful entry into Mars' orbit reached us. Cheers erupted under the stars, a spontaneous celebration of human achievement. It wasn't just a victory for the UAE; it marked a significant leap in global Mars research. The name "Hope" carries profound symbolic meaning, reflecting aspirations that transcend scientific discovery.
It represents a beacon of unity and inspiration, not just for the UAE but for the entire world. The mission embodies humanity's shared curiosity and drive to explore the unknown. The primary focus of the Hope mission is to study Mars' atmosphere and climate. By understanding these aspects, scientists can gain insights into the planet's past, present and future.
In the months that followed, the probe underwent rigorous testing and was placed in its science orbit. The success of the Hope probe also enabled the establishment of my research group at NYU Abu Dhabi (NYUAD), where a team of over two dozen researchers and students—including a number of UAE nationals – has been working to analyse and interpret the mission’s data. This initiative has not only advanced scientific knowledge but also fostered the development of local talent, equipping Emirati researchers with the skills to contribute to space science.
As soon as the first data started to come in, our team sprang into action, analysing data from the Emirates exploration imager, which is a 12 megapixel camera on board Hope, that stunned us with its clarity. The images were like nothing we'd seen – vivid and colourful. We set to work stitching thousands of these images together by developing a sophisticated algorithm, creating a photographic global map of Mars, an atlas available in both English and Arabic, ensuring our findings reached every corner of the globe.
Hope's unique orbit allowed it to observe Mars’ disc in its entirety, while its Emus instrument – the Emirates Mars UV Spectrometer, which studies higher energy processes in the atmosphere of Mars by splitting UV light into multiple wavelengths – revealed new types of auroras, puzzling scientists worldwide.
Our team has been working to understand these phenomena, unravelling mysteries that continue to captivate planetary scientists. Using Hope's Emirates Mars InfraRed Spectrometer to study the thermal environment, dust and atmospheric composition, we mapped Mars' surface temperatures, providing crucial data for researchers. We are now developing an AI-based weather prediction model for Mars and searching for methane, a potential sign of life – a testament to the mission's enduring impact.
Our work has also had a global impact. A PhD student from Spain conducted his doctoral research using processed data provided by our team, demonstrating the international recognition and accessibility of our findings.
In a remarkable collaboration, the US/European InSight probe team reached out to us for assistance in determining the origin of the largest Marsquake ever recorded. By providing detailed photographs of the Martian surface, we helped them rule out large impacts as the cause, leading to the conclusion that the event was of internal origin – a significant discovery that deepens our understanding of Mars' interior dynamics. This international co-operation exemplifies the value of shared data and research, enriching our understanding of Mars through a collective effort.
Building on this momentum, we have started a new lab – the Space Exploration Laboratory at NYUAD. This laboratory will serve as a hub for space research and innovation, supporting upcoming missions such as the Emirates Mission to the Asteroid Belt and the Emirates Lunar Mission. These initiatives underscore the UAE's commitment to advancing its capabilities in space exploration, science, and technology development, positioning the nation as a key player in space exploration worldwide.
The spacecraft and all its instruments are functioning optimally, ensuring uninterrupted data collection
Like any space mission, Hope faced numerous challenges, especially due to Covid-19-related restrictions. From technical complexities to logistical hurdles, the UAE demonstrated remarkable resilience and ingenuity in overcoming these obstacles. This journey highlights the importance of effective project management and innovation under pressure.
Since April 2024, the Hope spacecraft has transitioned into perpetual operations mode, marking a significant milestone in its journey. The spacecraft and all its instruments are functioning optimally, ensuring uninterrupted data collection and ongoing contributions to our understanding of Mars' atmosphere and climate.
This phase underscores the mission's reliability and robust planning, as both the spacecraft and its instruments remain in excellent health. With expectations of continued operation, the Hope mission is set to provide sustained insights into Martian weather patterns and atmospheric changes, further enriching scientific knowledge. This operational stability paves the way for future discoveries, ensuring that the Hope spacecraft remains a vital asset in the ongoing study of Mars. The Hope probe not only expands our understanding of Mars but also inspires future generations in space exploration, leaving a lasting legacy in the global scientific community.
In the coming years, the NYUAD team will further study the promising avenues of research opened by the data from the Hope probe. We aim to enhance our understanding of Martian diurnal and seasonal changes by using sophisticated AI tools, which will be crucial for planning future human missions. Additionally, we will explore the mechanisms underlying the newly discovered auroral phenomenon. Our team is developing methods to identify resources such as water ice, essential for potential human exploration and establishing a human base on the planet. We also plan to develop educational tools using the spacecraft's data to inspire students and the public, fostering interest in Stem fields.
The legacy of the Hope mission is profound. As the UAE’s first interplanetary venture, it symbolises the nation's commitment to advancing science and technology globally. The Hope probe has not only expanded our knowledge of Mars but has also laid the foundation for a new era of scientific discovery and innovation in the UAE.
By investing in advanced research infrastructure and nurturing local talent, we are paving the way for future generations to contribute meaningfully to space exploration. This journey is a testament to what can be achieved through international collaboration, shared knowledge, and a relentless pursuit of understanding the universe.
The mission's unique perspective as an Arab-led initiative enriches global space exploration with diverse scientific viewpoints, emphasising the importance of international collaboration. It showcases how nations with varying scientific backgrounds can collectively advance knowledge of space, fostering a culture of co-operation and innovation.
Three tips from La Perle's performers
1 The kind of water athletes drink is important. Gwilym Hooson, a 28-year-old British performer who is currently recovering from knee surgery, found that out when the company was still in Studio City, training for 12 hours a day. “The physio team was like: ‘Why is everyone getting cramps?’ And then they realised we had to add salt and sugar to the water,” he says.
2 A little chocolate is a good thing. “It’s emergency energy,” says Craig Paul Smith, La Perle’s head coach and former Cirque du Soleil performer, gesturing to an almost-empty open box of mini chocolate bars on his desk backstage.
3 Take chances, says Young, who has worked all over the world, including most recently at Dragone’s show in China. “Every time we go out of our comfort zone, we learn a lot about ourselves,” she says.
Company%20Profile
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F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
Full Party in the Park line-up
2pm – Andreah
3pm – Supernovas
4.30pm – The Boxtones
5.30pm – Lighthouse Family
7pm – Step On DJs
8pm – Richard Ashcroft
9.30pm – Chris Wright
10pm – Fatboy Slim
11pm – Hollaphonic
The Comeback: Elvis And The Story Of The 68 Special
Simon Goddard
Omnibus Press
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
SPECS
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Expert input
If you had all the money in the world, what’s the one sneaker you would buy or create?
“There are a few shoes that have ‘grail’ status for me. But the one I have always wanted is the Nike x Patta x Parra Air Max 1 - Cherrywood. To get a pair in my size brand new is would cost me between Dh8,000 and Dh 10,000.” Jack Brett
“If I had all the money, I would approach Nike and ask them to do my own Air Force 1, that’s one of my dreams.” Yaseen Benchouche
“There’s nothing out there yet that I’d pay an insane amount for, but I’d love to create my own shoe with Tinker Hatfield and Jordan.” Joshua Cox
“I think I’d buy a defunct footwear brand; I’d like the challenge of reinterpreting a brand’s history and changing options.” Kris Balerite
“I’d stir up a creative collaboration with designers Martin Margiela of the mixed patchwork sneakers, and Yohji Yamamoto.” Hussain Moloobhoy
“If I had all the money in the world, I’d live somewhere where I’d never have to wear shoes again.” Raj Malhotra
Brief scores:
Toss: Kerala Knights, opted to fielf
Pakhtoons 109-5 (10 ov)
Fletcher 32; Lamichhane 3-17
Kerala Knights 110-2 (7.5 ov)
Morgan 46 not out, Stirling 40
The years Ramadan fell in May
The candidates
Dr Ayham Ammora, scientist and business executive
Ali Azeem, business leader
Tony Booth, professor of education
Lord Browne, former BP chief executive
Dr Mohamed El-Erian, economist
Professor Wyn Evans, astrophysicist
Dr Mark Mann, scientist
Gina MIller, anti-Brexit campaigner
Lord Smith, former Cabinet minister
Sandi Toksvig, broadcaster
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Why it pays to compare
A comparison of sending Dh20,000 from the UAE using two different routes at the same time - the first direct from a UAE bank to a bank in Germany, and the second from the same UAE bank via an online platform to Germany - found key differences in cost and speed. The transfers were both initiated on January 30.
Route 1: bank transfer
The UAE bank charged Dh152.25 for the Dh20,000 transfer. On top of that, their exchange rate margin added a difference of around Dh415, compared with the mid-market rate.
Total cost: Dh567.25 - around 2.9 per cent of the total amount
Total received: €4,670.30
Route 2: online platform
The UAE bank’s charge for sending Dh20,000 to a UK dirham-denominated account was Dh2.10. The exchange rate margin cost was Dh60, plus a Dh12 fee.
Total cost: Dh74.10, around 0.4 per cent of the transaction
Total received: €4,756
The UAE bank transfer was far quicker – around two to three working days, while the online platform took around four to five days, but was considerably cheaper. In the online platform transfer, the funds were also exposed to currency risk during the period it took for them to arrive.
More on Quran memorisation:
The%20trailblazers
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What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
More from Neighbourhood Watch
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
England World Cup squad
Eoin Morgan (capt), Moeen Ali, Jofra Archer, Jonny Bairstow, Jos Buttler (wkt), Tom Curran, Liam Dawson, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes, James Vince, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood
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Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
- Join parent networks
- Look beyond school fees
- Keep an open mind
House-hunting
Top 10 locations for inquiries from US house hunters, according to Rightmove
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- Westminster, London
- Camden, London
- Glasgow, Scotland
- Islington, London
- Kensington and Chelsea, London
- Highlands, Scotland
- Argyll and Bute, Scotland
- Fife, Scotland
- Tower Hamlets, London
Your Guide to the Home
- Level 1 has a valet service if you choose not to park in the basement level. This level houses all the kitchenware, including covetable brand French Bull, along with a wide array of outdoor furnishings, lamps and lighting solutions, textiles like curtains, towels, cushions and bedding, and plenty of other home accessories.
- Level 2 features curated inspiration zones and solutions for bedrooms, living rooms and dining spaces. This is also where you’d go to customise your sofas and beds, and pick and choose from more than a dozen mattress options.
- Level 3 features The Home’s “man cave” set-up and a display of industrial and rustic furnishings. This level also has a mother’s room, a play area for children with staff to watch over the kids, furniture for nurseries and children’s rooms, and the store’s design studio.
GOLF’S RAHMBO
- 5 wins in 22 months as pro
- Three wins in past 10 starts
- 45 pro starts worldwide: 5 wins, 17 top 5s
- Ranked 551th in world on debut, now No 4 (was No 2 earlier this year)
- 5th player in last 30 years to win 3 European Tour and 2 PGA Tour titles before age 24 (Woods, Garcia, McIlroy, Spieth)
WHAT IS GRAPHENE?
It was discovered in 2004, when Russian-born Manchester scientists Andrei Geim and Kostya Novoselov were experimenting with sticky tape and graphite, the material used as lead in pencils.
Placing the tape on the graphite and peeling it, they managed to rip off thin flakes of carbon. In the beginning they got flakes consisting of many layers of graphene. But when they repeated the process many times, the flakes got thinner.
By separating the graphite fragments repeatedly, they managed to create flakes that were just one atom thick. Their experiment led to graphene being isolated for the very first time.
In 2010, Geim and Novoselov were awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics.
Global Fungi Facts
• Scientists estimate there could be as many as 3 million fungal species globally
• Only about 160,000 have been officially described leaving around 90% undiscovered
• Fungi account for roughly 90% of Earth's unknown biodiversity
• Forest fungi help tackle climate change, absorbing up to 36% of global fossil fuel emissions annually and storing around 5 billion tonnes of carbon in the planet's topsoil
RESULT
Manchester United 2 Tottenham Hotspur 1
Man United: Sanchez (24' ), Herrera (62')
Spurs: Alli (11')
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylturbo
Transmission: seven-speed DSG automatic
Power: 242bhp
Torque: 370Nm
Price: Dh136,814
The specs
Engine: 2-litre or 3-litre 4Motion all-wheel-drive Power: 250Nm (2-litre); 340 (3-litre) Torque: 450Nm Transmission: 8-speed automatic Starting price: From Dh212,000 On sale: Now
The specs
Engine: 2.7-litre 4-cylinder Turbomax
Power: 310hp
Torque: 583Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh192,500
On sale: Now
if you go
The flights
Etihad, Emirates and Singapore Airlines fly direct from the UAE to Singapore from Dh2,265 return including taxes. The flight takes about 7 hours.
The hotel
Rooms at the M Social Singapore cost from SG $179 (Dh488) per night including taxes.
The tour
Makan Makan Walking group tours costs from SG $90 (Dh245) per person for about three hours. Tailor-made tours can be arranged. For details go to www.woknstroll.com.sg
The specs
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Transmission: ten-speed
Power: 420bhp
Torque: 624Nm
Price: Dh325,125
On sale: Now
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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It Was Just an Accident
Director: Jafar Panahi
Stars: Vahid Mobasseri, Mariam Afshari, Ebrahim Azizi, Hadis Pakbaten, Majid Panahi, Mohamad Ali Elyasmehr
Rating: 4/5
The specs
Engine: 4-litre twin-turbo V8
Transmission: nine-speed
Power: 542bhp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: Dh848,000
On sale: now
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Indoor cricket World Cup:
Insportz, Dubai, September 16-23
UAE fixtures:
Men
Saturday, September 16 – 1.45pm, v New Zealand
Sunday, September 17 – 10.30am, v Australia; 3.45pm, v South Africa
Monday, September 18 – 2pm, v England; 7.15pm, v India
Tuesday, September 19 – 12.15pm, v Singapore; 5.30pm, v Sri Lanka
Thursday, September 21 – 2pm v Malaysia
Friday, September 22 – 3.30pm, semi-final
Saturday, September 23 – 3pm, grand final
Women
Saturday, September 16 – 5.15pm, v Australia
Sunday, September 17 – 2pm, v South Africa; 7.15pm, v New Zealand
Monday, September 18 – 5.30pm, v England
Tuesday, September 19 – 10.30am, v New Zealand; 3.45pm, v South Africa
Thursday, September 21 – 12.15pm, v Australia
Friday, September 22 – 1.30pm, semi-final
Saturday, September 23 – 1pm, grand final
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Guide to intelligent investing
Investing success often hinges on discipline and perspective. As markets fluctuate, remember these guiding principles:
- Stay invested: Time in the market, not timing the market, is critical to long-term gains.
- Rational thinking: Breathe and avoid emotional decision-making; let logic and planning guide your actions.
- Strategic patience: Understand why you’re investing and allow time for your strategies to unfold.
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