The operations control room at the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre, where Emirati personnel track and communicate with UAE's Mars Hope probe. Antonie Robertson / The National
The operations control room at the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre, where Emirati personnel track and communicate with UAE's Mars Hope probe. Antonie Robertson / The National
Zakareyya Al Shamsi, the deputy manager of mission operations, explains how the team is constantly tracking the probe. Antonie Robertson / The National
Zakareyya Al Shamsi, the deputy manager of mission operations, explains how the team is constantly tracking the probe. Antonie Robertson / The National
Mohammad Al Balooshi, flight controller, sends the 'go/no-go' instructions to the person responsible for issuing commands to the probe. Antonie Robertson / The National
Mohammad Al Balooshi, flight controller, sends the 'go/no-go' instructions to the person responsible for issuing commands to the probe. Antonie Robertson / The National
Mr Al Shamsi explains how they track the UAE's Hope probe. Antonie Robertson / The National
Mr Al Shamsi explains how they track the UAE's Hope probe. Antonie Robertson / The National
The UAE's Hope probe lifted off from Japan's Tanegashima Space Centre on July 20, 1.58am UAE time. AFP
The UAE's Hope probe lifted off from Japan's Tanegashima Space Centre on July 20, 1.58am UAE time. AFP
The final version of the spacecraft has two solar panels that help power its systems. Photo: Emirates Mars Mission
The final version of the spacecraft has two solar panels that help power its systems. Photo: Emirates Mars Mission
The UAE team watch the launch of the Mars Hope probe at the Tanegashima Space Centre.
The UAE team watch the launch of the Mars Hope probe at the Tanegashima Space Centre.
Omran Sharaf is the project director for the Emirates' Hope space probe to Mars. AP
Omran Sharaf is the project director for the Emirates' Hope space probe to Mars. AP

Science

UAE Mars Mission: inside the Dubai control centre tracking the Hope probe

'The National' gains exclusive access to watch Emirati engineers communicate with the probe in deep space

Sarwat Nasir
Sarwat Nasir
UAE

July 28, 2020

  • English
  • Arabic

It has been a week since the UAE’s Hope spacecraft began its journey to Mars and, in that time, it has travelled 2.47 million kilometres.

The carrier rocket lifted off at 1.58am on July 20, and the ground control centre at the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre became a hive of activity.

A team of more than 15 Emiratis is stationed in the ­engineering operations room and mission operation centre in Dubai, tracking the movement of and communicating with the spacecraft.

The National was given a tour of the site yesterday and learnt how the team ensures Hope is on course for the Red Planet on its seven-month journey.

“Right now, the spacecraft’s distance from Mars is 56,924,547 kilometres,” said Zakareyya Al Shamsi, the deputy manager of mission operations.

“Everything is going very smoothly so far, and we are very impressed with the progress. Each time we receive telemetry from the spacecraft, we feel really happy.”

The Arab world’s first mission to Mars, Hope will study the Red Planet’s weather and send data to Earth.

The mission is in its early operation phase, which means ground control is making sure the probe is on track for Mars.

US space agency Nasa’s Deep Space Network is making the communication possible through antennae at Goldstone in California, Madrid in Spain, and Canberra, Australia. This helps maintain 24-hour coverage as the Earth rotates.

Mohammad Al Balooshi, the flight controller, works the 12-hour-long prime shift and is in constant touch with the Deep Space Network staff.

“They receive the telemetry first and send it over to us,” he said. “If there is any problem, we can ask them to put us in emergency contact with the spacecraft.

“But everything has been going very smoothly so far.”

Mr Al Balooshi directs the person who sends the commands to the probe. Plans are discussed and approved in a daily meeting.

The Hope probe was placed inside this payload fairing last week and was transferred to building where the rocket is kept. Courtesy: Shoma Watanbe
The Hope probe was placed inside this payload fairing last week and was transferred to building where the rocket is kept. Courtesy: Shoma Watanbe
The launch pad is ready to receive the H-IIA rocket, which will deliver the Hope probe to space. It will take 30 to 40-minutes for the rocket to be transported to the launch pad. Courtesy: Yoshiaki Sakita
The launch pad is ready to receive the H-IIA rocket, which will deliver the Hope probe to space. It will take 30 to 40-minutes for the rocket to be transported to the launch pad. Courtesy: Yoshiaki Sakita
The payload fairing, which is holding the spacecraft, has been mounted on top of the rocket. The structure is meant to protect the probe from dynamic pressure and aerodynamic heating it experiences during its launch into an atmosphere. Courtesy: Shoma Watanbe
The payload fairing, which is holding the spacecraft, has been mounted on top of the rocket. The structure is meant to protect the probe from dynamic pressure and aerodynamic heating it experiences during its launch into an atmosphere. Courtesy: Shoma Watanbe
The probe was already fuelled with 800kgs of hydrogen for its seven-month-long journey to Mars. Courtesy: Emirates Mars Mission
The probe was already fuelled with 800kgs of hydrogen for its seven-month-long journey to Mars. Courtesy: Emirates Mars Mission
The H-IIA rocket that will carry the Hope probe into space. Dubai Twitter account
The H-IIA rocket that will carry the Hope probe into space. Dubai Twitter account
All launch viewing events in Tanegashima have been suspended as part of the Covid-19 safety measures. Signs have been up in all of popular spots, asking the public to keep a 3km distance from the Tanegashima Space Centre on launch day. Courtesy: Yoshiaki Sakita
All launch viewing events in Tanegashima have been suspended as part of the Covid-19 safety measures. Signs have been up in all of popular spots, asking the public to keep a 3km distance from the Tanegashima Space Centre on launch day. Courtesy: Yoshiaki Sakita
The most popular launch viewing site is the Rocket Hill. It is a five-minute drive from the main building of the Tangashima Space Centre and offers a clear view of the launch. It remains closed to the public. The National
The most popular launch viewing site is the Rocket Hill. It is a five-minute drive from the main building of the Tangashima Space Centre and offers a clear view of the launch. It remains closed to the public. The National
The free bus tour and exhibition at the Tanegashima Space Centre has also been suspended in efforts to contain the Covid-19 spread. Signs were placed outside of the centre, alerting the public. Courtesy: Yoshiaki Sakita
The free bus tour and exhibition at the Tanegashima Space Centre has also been suspended in efforts to contain the Covid-19 spread. Signs were placed outside of the centre, alerting the public. Courtesy: Yoshiaki Sakita
Engineers at the launch site in Tanegashima island, Japan. Courtesy: Emirates Mars Mission
Engineers at the launch site in Tanegashima island, Japan. Courtesy: Emirates Mars Mission
The completed Hope spacecraft. It will study the lower and upper atmosphere of Mars. Courtesy: Emirates Mars Mission
The completed Hope spacecraft. It will study the lower and upper atmosphere of Mars. Courtesy: Emirates Mars Mission

Hamad Al Hazami, command controller, is tasked with sending commands to the spacecraft. He adjusts its trajectory and positioning. One wrong move and Hope could go off track.

“In case human errors occur, we have contingency plans in place,” said Mr Al Hazami.

Once the team receives telemetry from the probe – which mainly shows the craft’s location and the status of its subsystems – commands to adjust trajectory can be sent.

The team also ensures that the spacecraft’s two solar panels, which supply its power, are facing the Sun.

However, this is done with caution because intense energy from the Sun can damage Hope’s subsystems and the three main scientific instruments it carries to study the atmosphere of Mars.

Monitors around ground control watch Hope, with green or red lights to indicate the spacecraft’s status.

"It's all green, so, that's great," said Mr Al Shamsi.

A device called a star tracker is used to plot the little craft’s position by the stars, helping Hope to its destination.

Although it is smooth ­sailing right now and telemetry is ­received within a second, the mission will move on to a more complicated stage in 13 days.

It will shift into the cruising phase, where contact with the spacecraft will take place twice a week in bursts of six or seven hours.

The team is expecting a delay in receiving the telemetry because the probe has moved farther from Earth.

The three scientific instruments – an exploration imager, ultraviolet spectrometer and an infrared spectrometer – will be tested at this stage.

“We are only carrying out small tests right now because we don’t want to put too much load on the spacecraft,” Mr Al Shamsi said.

“It has a long journey, and we will be taking things step by step. Once it reaches the cruising stage, we will start with more tests.”

Once it gets close to Mars, the probe will have to reduce its speed from 120,000kph to 14,000kph to prepare for orbit. Only India has managed to successfully put a probe into Mars orbit at the first attempt. That was in 2013. The task is extremely difficult and 50 per cent of Mars missions end in failure.

However, failures occurred decades ago, when space ­exploration was in its infancy and the advanced technology available for such missions ­today was on the drawing board. Now, Nasa has several rovers on Mars and probes ­orbiting it.

“Similar to the launch day, the orbit insertion is going to be a critical day,” Mr Al Shamsi said.

There will be a 20-minute delay in receiving telemetry from the probe once it reaches Mars.

The spacecraft will then move into its “science orbit”, where it will stay for two Earth years to collect data.

Company profile

Date started: December 24, 2018

Founders: Omer Gurel, chief executive and co-founder and Edebali Sener, co-founder and chief technology officer

Based: Dubai Media City

Number of employees: 42 (34 in Dubai and a tech team of eight in Ankara, Turkey)

Sector: ConsumerTech and FinTech

Cashflow: Almost $1 million a year

Funding: Series A funding of $2.5m with Series B plans for May 2020

MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW

Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman

Director: Jesse Armstrong

Rating: 3.5/5

Ferrari 12Cilindri specs

Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12

Power: 819hp

Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm

Price: From Dh1,700,000

Available: Now

The National's picks

4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young

Red flags
  • Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
  • Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
  • Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
  • Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
  • Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.

Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching

What sanctions would be reimposed?

Under ‘snapback’, measures imposed on Iran by the UN Security Council in six resolutions would be restored, including:

  • An arms embargo
  • A ban on uranium enrichment and reprocessing
  • A ban on launches and other activities with ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons, as well as ballistic missile technology transfer and technical assistance
  • A targeted global asset freeze and travel ban on Iranian individuals and entities
  • Authorisation for countries to inspect Iran Air Cargo and Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines cargoes for banned goods
How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
  1. Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
  2. Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
  3. Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
  4. Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
  5. Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
  6. The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
  7. Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269

*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year

Company%20profile
%3Cp%3EDate%20started%3A%20January%202022%3Cbr%3EFounders%3A%20Omar%20Abu%20Innab%2C%20Silvia%20Eldawi%2C%20Walid%20Shihabi%3Cbr%3EBased%3A%20Dubai%3Cbr%3ESector%3A%20PropTech%20%2F%20investment%3Cbr%3EEmployees%3A%2040%3Cbr%3EStage%3A%20Seed%3Cbr%3EInvestors%3A%20Multiple%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Pharaoh's curse

British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.

While you're here
Whiile you're here
MATCH INFO

Uefa Champions League final:

Who: Real Madrid v Liverpool
Where: NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium, Kiev, Ukraine
When: Saturday, May 26, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: Match on BeIN Sports

SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20SAMSUNG%20GALAXY%20S24%20ULTRA
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England's all-time record goalscorers:
Wayne Rooney 53
Bobby Charlton 49
Gary Lineker 48
Jimmy Greaves 44
Michael Owen 40
Tom Finney 30
Nat Lofthouse 30
Alan Shearer 30
Viv Woodward 29
Frank Lampard 29

Evacuations to France hit by controversy
  • Over 500 Gazans have been evacuated to France since November 2023
  • Evacuations were paused after a student already in France posted anti-Semitic content and was subsequently expelled to Qatar
  • The Foreign Ministry launched a review to determine how authorities failed to detect the posts before her entry
  • Artists and researchers fall under a programme called Pause that began in 2017
  • It has benefited more than 700 people from 44 countries, including Syria, Turkey, Iran, and Sudan
  • Since the start of the Gaza war, it has also included 45 Gazan beneficiaries
  • Unlike students, they are allowed to bring their families to France
On Women's Day
Temple numbers

Expected completion: 2022

Height: 24 meters

Ground floor banquet hall: 370 square metres to accommodate about 750 people

Ground floor multipurpose hall: 92 square metres for up to 200 people

First floor main Prayer Hall: 465 square metres to hold 1,500 people at a time

First floor terrace areas: 2,30 square metres  

Temple will be spread over 6,900 square metres

Structure includes two basements, ground and first floor 

'I Want You Back'

Director:Jason Orley

Stars:Jenny Slate, Charlie Day

Rating:4/5

The Voice of Hind Rajab

Starring: Saja Kilani, Clara Khoury, Motaz Malhees

Director: Kaouther Ben Hania

Rating: 4/5

Story%20behind%20the%20UAE%20flag
%3Cp%3EThe%20UAE%20flag%20was%20first%20unveiled%20on%20December%202%2C%201971%2C%20the%20day%20the%20UAE%20was%20formed.%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EIt%20was%20designed%20by%20Abdullah%20Mohammed%20Al%20Maainah%2C%2019%2C%20an%20Emirati%20from%20Abu%20Dhabi.%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EMr%20Al%20Maainah%20said%20in%20an%20interview%20with%20%3Cem%3EThe%20National%3C%2Fem%3E%20in%202011%20he%20chose%20the%20colours%20for%20local%20reasons.%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EThe%20black%20represents%20the%20oil%20riches%20that%20transformed%20the%20UAE%2C%20green%20stands%20for%20fertility%20and%20the%20red%20and%20white%20colours%20were%20drawn%20from%20those%20found%20in%20existing%20emirate%20flags.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Results:

Men's wheelchair 800m T34: 1. Walid Ktila (TUN) 1.44.79; 2. Mohammed Al Hammadi (UAE) 1.45.88; 3. Isaac Towers (GBR) 1.46.46.

On Women's Day
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Europe wide
Some of French groups are threatening Friday to continue their journey to Brussels, the capital of Belgium and the European Union, and to meet up with drivers from other countries on Monday.

Belgian authorities joined French police in banning the threatened blockade. A similar lorry cavalcade was planned for Friday in Vienna but cancelled after authorities prohibited it.

Meatless Days
Sara Suleri, with an introduction by Kamila Shamsie
​​​​​​​Penguin 

On Women's Day
The bio

Favourite vegetable: Broccoli

Favourite food: Seafood

Favourite thing to cook: Duck l'orange

Favourite book: Give and Take by Adam Grant, one of his professors at University of Pennsylvania

Favourite place to travel: Home in Kuwait.

Favourite place in the UAE: Al Qudra lakes

Specs

Engine: 51.5kW electric motor

Range: 400km

Power: 134bhp

Torque: 175Nm

Price: From Dh98,800

Available: Now

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