Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, and Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, met in Dubai on Monday to discuss the UAE's space exploration programme.
Sarah Al Amiri, Minister of State for Advanced Sciences and chairwoman of the UAE Space Agency, briefed the leaders on the Hope probe's journey to Mars, as the spacecraft nears the Red Planet.
"We are nine days away from the arrival of the Hope probe to Mars and from recording the first Arab and Islamic presence at the Red Planet," Sheikh Mohammed said.
"We will be the fifth country in history to reach the Red Planet. The success rate for entering Mars's orbit is 50 per cent but we have achieved 90 per cent of our goals behind this historic project."
Sheikh Mohamed said he and the Vice President were proud of everyone involved in the mission.
The probe has a 50 per cent chance of successfully entering Mars' orbit, but we have achieved 90 per cent of our goals behind this historic project
"My brother Mohammed bin Rashid and I discussed our national achievements, particularly in space and science, and our pride in the nation’s youth," he said.
"We learnt from Sarah Al Amiri about the progress of the Hope probe as it nears Mars. We wish you all success on this historic journey.
"The Emirates Mars Mission embodies the aspirations that distinguish your country and reflects our leading status in the Arab and Islamic world.
"Through our journey to Mars, we will explore new horizons towards a better future.
"Our investment in the human capital proved worthwhile as we see our youth capable of reaching the stars.
"We are proud of our people and we look forward to making a historic contribution to serve humanity."
Sheikh Mohamed also shared a video recounting the country's space ambitions, beginning with Founding Father Sheikh Zayed's meeting with three American astronauts in 1976, then moving to the launch of Hope last July.
The voices of both leaders can be heard over the video, praising the work of the country's engineers and space experts for realising those ambitions.
"The Hope probe is nearing Mars. Congratulations to everyone on the occasion of the historic Emirati mission to Mars," Sheikh Mohammed said.
The UAE-made probe is expected to reach Mars on February 9. It will be the start of one of the most complex phases of its journey, with one shot at making the planet's orbit.
Communication between the probe and Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre's mission control room will be delayed by 11 minutes because of the distance between Earth and Mars.
But communications will cease entirely when the spacecraft moves behind the Red Planet.
Engineers will need to wait up to 30 minutes before communication is restored and they will know if the mission was successful or not.
More than 50 per cent of Mars missions fail, and only an Indian probe has successfully entered Mars's orbit on a maiden flight.
If successful, Hope will spend 40 hours in what is known as the capture orbit before it transfers into the science orbit, where it will spend two years collecting data on the planet.
Monday's meeting, at Al Marmoom Conservation Reserve, was attended by a high-level delegation that also included: Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai; Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed, Deputy Ruler of Dubai; Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed, National Security Adviser; and Khaldoon Al Mubarak, chairman of the Executive Affairs Authority.
Read more from Aya Iskandarani
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
Sri Lanka's T20I squad
Thisara Perera (captain), Dilshan Munaweera, Danushka Gunathilaka, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Ashan Priyanjan, Mahela Udawatte, Dasun Shanaka, Sachith Pathirana, Vikum Sanjaya, Lahiru Gamage, Seekkuge Prasanna, Vishwa Fernando, Isuru Udana, Jeffrey Vandersay and Chathuranga de Silva.
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MATCH INFO
Manchester United 6 (McTominay 2', 3'; Fernandes 20', 70' pen; Lindelof 37'; James 65')
Leeds United 2 (Cooper 41'; Dallas 73')
Man of the match: Scott McTominay (Manchester United)
Company profile
Date started: 2015
Founder: John Tsioris and Ioanna Angelidaki
Based: Dubai
Sector: Online grocery delivery
Staff: 200
Funding: Undisclosed, but investors include the Jabbar Internet Group and Venture Friends
Company%20profile
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Key figures in the life of the fort
Sheikh Dhiyab bin Isa (ruled 1761-1793) Built Qasr Al Hosn as a watchtower to guard over the only freshwater well on Abu Dhabi island.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Dhiyab (ruled 1793-1816) Expanded the tower into a small fort and transferred his ruling place of residence from Liwa Oasis to the fort on the island.
Sheikh Tahnoon bin Shakhbut (ruled 1818-1833) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further as Abu Dhabi grew from a small village of palm huts to a town of more than 5,000 inhabitants.
Sheikh Khalifa bin Shakhbut (ruled 1833-1845) Repaired and fortified the fort.
Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon (ruled 1845-1855) Turned Qasr Al Hosn into a strong two-storied structure.
Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa (ruled 1855-1909) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further to reflect the emirate's increasing prominence.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan (ruled 1928-1966) Renovated and enlarged Qasr Al Hosn, adding a decorative arch and two new villas.
Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan (ruled 1966-2004) Moved the royal residence to Al Manhal palace and kept his diwan at Qasr Al Hosn.
Sources: Jayanti Maitra, www.adach.ae
The flights: South African Airways flies from Dubai International Airport with a stop in Johannesburg, with prices starting from around Dh4,000 return. Emirates can get you there with a stop in Lusaka from around Dh4,600 return.
The details: Visas are available for 247 Zambian kwacha or US$20 (Dh73) per person on arrival at Livingstone Airport. Single entry into Victoria Falls for international visitors costs 371 kwacha or $30 (Dh110). Microlight flights are available through Batoka Sky, with 15-minute flights costing 2,265 kwacha (Dh680).
Accommodation: The Royal Livingstone Victoria Falls Hotel by Anantara is an ideal place to stay, within walking distance of the falls and right on the Zambezi River. Rooms here start from 6,635 kwacha (Dh2,398) per night, including breakfast, taxes and Wi-Fi. Water arrivals cost from 587 kwacha (Dh212) per person.
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Porsche Taycan Turbo specs
Engine: Two permanent-magnet synchronous AC motors
Transmission: two-speed
Power: 671hp
Torque: 1050Nm
Range: 450km
Price: Dh601,800
On sale: now
In Search of Mary Shelley: The Girl Who Wrote Frankenstein
By Fiona Sampson
Profile
GOODBYE%20JULIA
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MOST%20POLLUTED%20COUNTRIES%20IN%20THE%20WORLD
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KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
War
Director: Siddharth Anand
Cast: Hrithik Roshan, Tiger Shroff, Ashutosh Rana, Vaani Kapoor
Rating: Two out of five stars
