UAE’s mission to Mars will be launched between July 20 and 22, the UAE government announced on Thursday.
The launch of Hope probe was postponed twice this week due to unstable weather at the launch site on Japan’s Tanegashima island.
The weather is expected to improve within that time and officials said an exact date and time would be announced closer to the date.
"The Emirates Space Agency and The Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Center have announced that due to continued thunderstorms, clouds and unstable weather conditions in the coming days on Tanegashima Island, the launch site for the Hope probe, the launch is now scheduled to take place between the 20th and 22nd July 2020, depending on improved weather. The precise time of the launch will be confirmed in due course," the government said on Twitter.
Over the past few days, the island has been the site of heavy rain and strong winds – conditions that would have interfered with the launch and potentially damaged the rocket and spacecraft.
The Emirates Mars Mission team had been working continually to find the earliest lift-off opportunity, as the narrow launch window for missions to Red Planet closes on August 3.
If missed, the probe would not be able to launch until 2022 because that is when Earth and Mars are closest to each other next.
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, the company providing the H-IIA rocket for the launch, has strict criteria that must be met before the lift-off. This includes stable wind and an acceptable amount of cloud density.
More than 150 Emirati engineers, researchers and scientists have worked on the mission since its inception six years ago with a budget of Dh735 million.
Hamad Al Mansouri, the chairman of the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre, wrote a heartfelt letter to the team after the two delays.
“The Hope probe is standing tall and is waiting for the countdown,” Mr Al Mansouri said in the letter, which was shared on social media by Emirati astronaut Maj Hazza Al Mansouri on Wednesday.
“It’s ready to go, carrying with it the name of your dear homeland… I know that delaying the launch of the probe was not news you were waiting for. We are all waiting for that historic moment, however, the delay ensures flight safety.
“The moment is inevitably coming. You worked with sincerity and dedication, and God will not disappoint you. The Hope probe will go to its destination and will write history.”
The spacecraft is currently inside the payload fairing and is mounted on top of the H-IIA rocket.
The launcher remains parked at the Vehicle Assembly Building, a facility that is a short distance from the launch pad.
Launch criteria of H-IIA rocket:
Peak wind speed should not exceed 20.9 metres per second
Rain should be less than 8mm per hour
No cumulonimbus clouds in flight trajectory
No atmospheric discharge in the flight trajectory
No lightning within 10km of the launch site
No lightning observed within 20km of flight path
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RESULTS
5pm: Rated Conditions (PA) Dh85,000 (Turf) 1,600m
Winner: AF Mouthirah, Tadhg O’Shea (jockey), Ernst Oertel (trainer)
5.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,400m
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6pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 1,400m
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6.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 2,200m
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7pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 2,200m
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7.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh100,000 (T) 2,400m
Winner: Son Of Normandy, Fernando Jara, Ahmad bin Harmash
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
LA LIGA FIXTURES
Thursday (All UAE kick-off times)
Sevilla v Real Betis (midnight)
Friday
Granada v Real Betis (9.30pm)
Valencia v Levante (midnight)
Saturday
Espanyol v Alaves (4pm)
Celta Vigo v Villarreal (7pm)
Leganes v Real Valladolid (9.30pm)
Mallorca v Barcelona (midnight)
Sunday
Atletic Bilbao v Atletico Madrid (4pm)
Real Madrid v Eibar (9.30pm)
Real Sociedad v Osasuna (midnight)
PSA DUBAI WORLD SERIES FINALS LINE-UP
Men’s:
Mohamed El Shorbagy (EGY)
Ali Farag (EGY)
Simon Rosner (GER)
Tarek Momen (EGY)
Miguel Angel Rodriguez (COL)
Gregory Gaultier (FRA)
Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY)
Nick Matthew (ENG)
Women's:
Nour El Sherbini (EGY)
Raneem El Welily (EGY)
Nour El Tayeb (EGY)
Laura Massaro (ENG)
Joelle King (NZE)
Camille Serme (FRA)
Nouran Gohar (EGY)
Sarah-Jane Perry (ENG)
The view from The National
In-demand jobs and monthly salaries
- Technology expert in robotics and automation: Dh20,000 to Dh40,000
- Energy engineer: Dh25,000 to Dh30,000
- Production engineer: Dh30,000 to Dh40,000
- Data-driven supply chain management professional: Dh30,000 to Dh50,000
- HR leader: Dh40,000 to Dh60,000
- Engineering leader: Dh30,000 to Dh55,000
- Project manager: Dh55,000 to Dh65,000
- Senior reservoir engineer: Dh40,000 to Dh55,000
- Senior drilling engineer: Dh38,000 to Dh46,000
- Senior process engineer: Dh28,000 to Dh38,000
- Senior maintenance engineer: Dh22,000 to Dh34,000
- Field engineer: Dh6,500 to Dh7,500
- Field supervisor: Dh9,000 to Dh12,000
- Field operator: Dh5,000 to Dh7,000
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Petrarch: Everywhere a Wanderer
Christopher Celenza,
Reaktion Books
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The specs: 2019 Jeep Wrangler
Price, base: Dh132,000
Engine: 3.6-litre V6
Gearbox: Eight-speed automatic
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Torque: 347Nm @ 4,100rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 9.6L to 10.3L / 100km
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Water waste
In the UAE’s arid climate, small shrubs, bushes and flower beds usually require about six litres of water per square metre, daily. That increases to 12 litres per square metre a day for small trees, and 300 litres for palm trees.
Horticulturists suggest the best time for watering is before 8am or after 6pm, when water won't be dried up by the sun.
A global report published by the Water Resources Institute in August, ranked the UAE 10th out of 164 nations where water supplies are most stretched.
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The 12 breakaway clubs
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Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur
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ACL Elite (West) - fixtures
Monday, Sept 30
Al Sadd v Esteghlal (8pm)
Persepolis v Pakhtakor (8pm)
Al Wasl v Al Ahli (8pm)
Al Nassr v Al Rayyan (10pm)
Tuesday, Oct 1
Al Hilal v Al Shorta (10pm)
Al Gharafa v Al Ain (10pm)
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Date started: 2014
Founders: Maaz Sheikh, Danny Bates
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment/Streaming Video On Demand
Number of employees: 125
Investors/Investment amount: $125 million. Major investors include Starz/Lionsgate, State Street, SEQ and Delta Partners
All you need to know about Formula E in Saudi Arabia
What The Saudia Ad Diriyah E-Prix
When Saturday
Where Diriyah in Saudi Arabia
What time Qualifying takes place from 11.50am UAE time through until the Super Pole session, which is due to end at 12.55pm. The race, which will last for 45 minutes, starts at 4.05pm.
Who is competing There are 22 drivers, from 11 teams, on the grid, with each vehicle run solely on electronic power.
RESULTS
Bantamweight: Jalal Al Daaja (JOR) beat Hamza Bougamza (MAR)
Catchweight 67kg: Mohamed El Mesbahi (MAR) beat Fouad Mesdari (ALG)
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Middleweight: Yousri Belgaroui (TUN) beat Badreddine Diani (MAR)
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