On the ground in Japan and at Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre, the tension of the launch gave way to applause as the Hope probe rose safely into space in the early hours of Monday.
The UAE joined an elite club of nations after the probe blasted out of Earth's atmosphere on a Japanese H-IIA rocket to begin a 200-day journey.
But for all the scenes of jubilation, all those involved in the Emirates Mission to Mars know a successful launch is only the beginning.
In its first few hours, Hope, or Al Amal, navigated a succession of challenges.
The upper stage of the craft containing the probe separated from the launch rocket and the protective shields around the nose cone fallen away, exposing Hope to space for the first time.
Next, the probe was released from the launcher and the craft activated its thrusters to stabilise itself.
Only once this was done, could two solar panels unfurl, recharging Hope’s batteries and allowing it to communicate with its controllers on Earth.
Hope then entered what it is known as the cruise phase, the seven-month journey to Mars, or rather towards where the planet will be by then.
This was another early test of nerves. If anything went gone wrong – a failed thruster or a jammed panel – the mission would have been over before it started. Instead it was a success.
Earth orbits the Sun on a slightly elliptical path and at a distance that varies between about 147 million and 152 million kilometres.
Mars is much farther away and has a more pronounced oval orbit that at times takes it more than 200m km from the Sun.
That means it takes Mars nearly twice as long as Earth to make a complete solar orbit – a Martian year is 687 days.
To put it into perspective, in 60 years of exploration well over half of Mars missions have ended in failure
To save time and fuel, it made most sense to aim Hope at where Mars would be early next year.
The optimum time for such a launch is every 26 months, which fell in July.
It is why the timing of the Hope launch was so crucial. If the launch was seriously delayed, the mission would have had to wait more than two years until the planets aligned again.
But even if Hope is taking a shortcut it is not without risk.
Travelling through space, the probe will experience average temperatures of about minus 270°C, or close to absolute zero, and be bombarded with high levels of radiation.
The Emirati scientists and engineers who built Hope designed the probe’s sensitive components to cope with these extremes, but several past missions were lost because of equipment failure on the way, including Nasa’s Mars Observer in 1993 and Russia’s Phobos 1 in 1988.
There are other perils. A solar flare in 2002 wiped out the electronics on Japan’s Nozomi Mars probe and a strike from a “micrometeorite” likely wrecked the pressurised instruments on board Russia’s Mars 5 in 1974.
To put it into perspective, in 60 years of exploration, more than half of all Mars missions have ended in failure. And while the success rate has improved in recent years, about a third of Mars missions still fail to make it.
Along the way, Hope will navigate using a “star tracker”, equipment that measures the probe’s position in relation to the pattern of stars around it, similar to navigation on Earth.
A combination of the craft’s 14 thrusters and small flywheels, similar to gyroscopes, will carry out course corrections and keep the solar panels and communication dish aligned.
Hope’s flight path will intersect with Mars next February, but ensuring that it stops there is another tricky process.
The first successful probe to Mars, Mariner 4, spent only a couple days at the planet in 1965 before heading on into space because it lacked the technology to stop.
To enter Mars orbit, Hope will slam on the brakes, firing its thrusters for 30 minutes at exactly the right moment to reduce speed from about 120,000 kilometres per hour to 14,000kph.
This will be another tense time at mission control in Dubai. Hope is so far from Earth that instantaneous control is not possible and the probe must depend on its computer to make the right decisions.
It will take a nerve-racking 13 to 20 minutes before information about the manoeuvre reaches Earth. By then one of two scenarios will have played out.
In the worst case, the engine burn will have failed and the probe sped past Mars to be lost in space.
If all goes well, Hope will break silence after emerging from the shadow of Mars, the first signal of success that is likely to be received by a tracking station in Spain.
When it is captured by Mars’ gravity, the probe will take 40 hours to move from what is known as the capture orbit into the science orbit, ready to begin its mission. At this point we may see the first images of the planet sent from the probe.
Orbiting between 20,000km and 43,000km, testing Hope will take about six weeks, ending with the use of its three scientific instruments, including a high-resolution digital camera, to unlock the secrets of Mars atmosphere.
Only then will the mission planner finally be able to relax, as the first 1,000 gigabytes of new data about Mars begins to arrive to tell us more about the story of this strange and hostile environment.
THE SIXTH SENSE
Starring: Bruce Willis, Toni Collette, Hayley Joel Osment
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Rating: 5/5
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RESULT
Al Hilal 4 Persepolis 0
Khribin (31', 54', 89'), Al Shahrani 40'
Red card: Otayf (Al Hilal, 49')
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Earth under attack: Cosmic impacts throughout history
- 4.5 billion years ago: Mars-sized object smashes into the newly-formed Earth, creating debris that coalesces to form the Moon
- 66 million years ago: 10km-wide asteroid crashes into the Gulf of Mexico, wiping out over 70 per cent of living species – including the dinosaurs.
- 50,000 years ago: 50m-wide iron meteor crashes in Arizona with the violence of 10 megatonne hydrogen bomb, creating the famous 1.2km-wide Barringer Crater
- 1490: Meteor storm over Shansi Province, north-east China when large stones “fell like rain”, reportedly leading to thousands of deaths.
- 1908: 100-metre meteor from the Taurid Complex explodes near the Tunguska river in Siberia with the force of 1,000 Hiroshima-type bombs, devastating 2,000 square kilometres of forest.
- 1998: Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 breaks apart and crashes into Jupiter in series of impacts that would have annihilated life on Earth.
-2013: 10,000-tonne meteor burns up over the southern Urals region of Russia, releasing a pressure blast and flash that left over 1600 people injured.
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
MATCH INFO
Juventus 1 (Dybala 45')
Lazio 3 (Alberto 16', Lulic 73', Cataldi 90 4')
Red card: Rodrigo Bentancur (Juventus)
((Disclaimer))
The Liechtensteinische Landesbank AG (“Bank”) assumes no liability or guarantee for the accuracy, balance, or completeness of the information in this publication. The content may change at any time due to given circumstances, and the Liechtensteinische Landesbank AG is under no obligation to update information once it has been published. This publication is intended for information purposes only and does not constitute an offer, a recommendation or an invitation by, or on behalf of, Liechtensteinische Landesbank (DIFC Branch), Liechtensteinische Landesbank AG, or any of its group affiliates to make any investments or obtain services. This publication has not been reviewed, disapproved or approved by the United Arab Emirates (“UAE”) Central Bank, Dubai Financial Services Authority (“DFSA”) or any other relevant licensing authorities in the UAE. It may not be relied upon by or distributed to retail clients. Liechtensteinische Landesbank (DIFC Branch) is regulated by the DFSA and this advertorial is intended for Professional Clients (as defined by the DFSA) who have sufficient financial experience and understanding of financial markets, products or transactions and any associated risks.
SRI LANKA SQUAD
Upul Tharanga (captain), Dinesh Chandimal, Niroshan Dickwella
Lahiru Thirimanne, Kusal Mendis, Milinda Siriwardana
Chamara Kapugedara, Thisara Perera, Seekuge Prasanna
Nuwan Pradeep, Suranga Lakmal, Dushmantha Chameera
Vishwa Fernando, Akila Dananjaya, Jeffrey Vandersay
What it means to be a conservationist
Who is Enric Sala?
Enric Sala is an expert on marine conservation and is currently the National Geographic Society's Explorer-in-Residence. His love of the sea started with his childhood in Spain, inspired by the example of the legendary diver Jacques Cousteau. He has been a university professor of Oceanography in the US, as well as working at the Spanish National Council for Scientific Research and is a member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on Biodiversity and the Bio-Economy. He has dedicated his life to protecting life in the oceans. Enric describes himself as a flexitarian who only eats meat occasionally.
What is biodiversity?
According to the United Nations Environment Programme, all life on earth – including in its forests and oceans – forms a “rich tapestry of interconnecting and interdependent forces”. Biodiversity on earth today is the product of four billion years of evolution and consists of many millions of distinct biological species. The term ‘biodiversity’ is relatively new, popularised since the 1980s and coinciding with an understanding of the growing threats to the natural world including habitat loss, pollution and climate change. The loss of biodiversity itself is dangerous because it contributes to clean, consistent water flows, food security, protection from floods and storms and a stable climate. The natural world can be an ally in combating global climate change but to do so it must be protected. Nations are working to achieve this, including setting targets to be reached by 2020 for the protection of the natural state of 17 per cent of the land and 10 per cent of the oceans. However, these are well short of what is needed, according to experts, with half the land needed to be in a natural state to help avert disaster.
U19 WORLD CUP, WEST INDIES
UAE group fixtures (all in St Kitts)
Saturday 15 January: v Canada
Thursday 20 January: v England
Saturday 22 January: v Bangladesh
UAE squad
Alishan Sharafu (captain), Shival Bawa, Jash Giyanani, Sailles Jaishankar, Nilansh Keswani, Aayan Khan, Punya Mehra, Ali Naseer, Ronak Panoly, Dhruv Parashar, Vinayak Raghavan, Soorya Sathish, Aryansh Sharma, Adithya Shetty, Kai Smith
The Good Liar
Starring: Helen Mirren, Ian McKellen
Directed by: Bill Condon
Three out of five stars
MATCH INFO
Manchester City 0
Wolves 2 (Traore 80', 90 4')
At a glance
Fixtures All matches start at 9.30am, at ICC Academy, Dubai. Admission is free
Thursday UAE v Ireland; Saturday UAE v Ireland; Jan 21 UAE v Scotland; Jan 23 UAE v Scotland
UAE squad Rohan Mustafa (c), Ashfaq Ahmed, Ghulam Shabber, Rameez Shahzad, Mohammed Boota, Mohammed Usman, Adnan Mufti, Shaiman Anwar, Ahmed Raza, Imran Haider, Qadeer Ahmed, Mohammed Naveed, Amir Hayat, Zahoor Khan
The specs
Engine: 2-litre 4-cylinder and 3.6-litre 6-cylinder
Power: 220 and 280 horsepower
Torque: 350 and 360Nm
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Price: from Dh136,521 VAT and Dh166,464 VAT
On sale: now
Cultural fiesta
What: The Al Burda Festival
When: November 14 (from 10am)
Where: Warehouse421, Abu Dhabi
The Al Burda Festival is a celebration of Islamic art and culture, featuring talks, performances and exhibitions. Organised by the Ministry of Culture and Knowledge Development, this one-day event opens with a session on the future of Islamic art. With this in mind, it is followed by a number of workshops and “masterclass” sessions in everything from calligraphy and typography to geometry and the origins of Islamic design. There will also be discussions on subjects including ‘Who is the Audience for Islamic Art?’ and ‘New Markets for Islamic Design.’ A live performance from Kuwaiti guitarist Yousif Yaseen should be one of the highlights of the day.
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Multitasking pays off for money goals
Tackling money goals one at a time cost financial literacy expert Barbara O'Neill at least $1 million.
That's how much Ms O'Neill, a distinguished professor at Rutgers University in the US, figures she lost by starting saving for retirement only after she had created an emergency fund, bought a car with cash and purchased a home.
"I tell students that eventually, 30 years later, I hit the million-dollar mark, but I could've had $2 million," Ms O'Neill says.
Too often, financial experts say, people want to attack their money goals one at a time: "As soon as I pay off my credit card debt, then I'll start saving for a home," or, "As soon as I pay off my student loan debt, then I'll start saving for retirement"."
People do not realise how costly the words "as soon as" can be. Paying off debt is a worthy goal, but it should not come at the expense of other goals, particularly saving for retirement. The sooner money is contributed, the longer it can benefit from compounded returns. Compounded returns are when your investment gains earn their own gains, which can dramatically increase your balances over time.
"By putting off saving for the future, you are really inhibiting yourself from benefiting from that wonderful magic," says Kimberly Zimmerman Rand , an accredited financial counsellor and principal at Dragonfly Financial Solutions in Boston. "If you can start saving today ... you are going to have a lot more five years from now than if you decide to pay off debt for three years and start saving in year four."
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Nag%20Ashwin%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EPrabhas%2C%20Saswata%20Chatterjee%2C%20Deepika%20Padukone%2C%20Amitabh%20Bachchan%2C%20Shobhana%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%E2%98%85%E2%98%85%E2%98%85%E2%98%85%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The five pillars of Islam
Visit Abu Dhabi culinary team's top Emirati restaurants in Abu Dhabi
Yadoo’s House Restaurant & Cafe
For the karak and Yoodo's house platter with includes eggs, balaleet, khamir and chebab bread.
Golden Dallah
For the cappuccino, luqaimat and aseeda.
Al Mrzab Restaurant
For the shrimp murabian and Kuwaiti options including Kuwaiti machboos with kebab and spicy sauce.
Al Derwaza
For the fish hubul, regag bread, biryani and special seafood soup.
The%20Genius%20of%20Their%20Age
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