UAE’s Hope probe delivered to Japan space centre ahead of launch


Sarwat Nasir
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A space probe designed by Emirati engineers and due to launch this year is a message to young Arabs everywhere that "hope transcends the distance between earth and the skies."

That was the message from Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, on Saturday, as he marked the arrival of the UAE's Hope Probe to its launch site in Japan.

UAE’s Hope probe arrived in Japan ahead of schedule, on April 22, to ensure a timely launch due to the ongoing travel restrictions amid the Covid-19 pandemic. It was delivered to the launch site on Saturday.

There is a launch window from July 14 to August 3, during which the probe is expected to take off.

"The Hope Probe represents a turning point for the Arab and Islamic world in the space sector. Reaching Mars is not only a scientific goal, it sends a message to our Arab youth that we are capable and that hope transcends the distance between earth and the skies," Sheikh Mohammed said on Saturday.

"Despite tough global travel conditions, our engineers are working according to schedule to complete the region’s top space science project. The probe was developed in less than 6 years, instead of 10, and at half the cost. We aim to launch in July, according to plan."

Sarah Al Amiri, Minister of State for Advanced Sciences, was on hand at Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre to see the probe off.

"Thank you to the specialised team that accompanied the probe from the UAE to Japan, and thank all parties and teams in the Emirates government for their efforts, and thanks to the engineers and specialists who are now at the launch site, who will work during the next 80 days to prepare the probe for launch," she said on Twitter on Saturday.

During normal times, engineers and a spacecraft are expected to reach the launch site 40 days before the take off.

However, in the current circumstances, Hope was sent earlier to ensure a smooth and uninterrupted preparation for the launch.

It will take seven to nine months for Hope to reach the desired Martian orbit and its arrival is meant to coincide with UAE’s 50th anniversary.

"The Emirates Mars Mission's (EMM) Hope spacecraft has already been delivered to Japan, and is planned to be delivered to the Tanegashima Space Centre soon," Mitsu Ikeya, a corporate communications officer at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries – the launch service provider for the probe – told The National.

“The preparation is continuously going on with minimal impact from the Covid-19.”

Omran Al Sharaf, the project manager of EMM, had addressed the 38th e-meeting of Nasa’s Mars Exploration Programme Analysis Group on April 17.

It was revealed then that a small team of Emirati engineers had left for Japan so they could prepare for the launch once the probe arrives.

They spent 15 days in mandatory quarantine.

Special flights and visas for them were arranged as entry for foreign travellers is currently restricted in Japan and all outbound flights have been suspended in the UAE.

Hope has been built by a team of 150 Emirati engineers, researchers and scientists at the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) and in collaboration with three US universities.

The project is funded by the UAE Space Agency.

Engineers ran a series of tests on the probe at MBRSC's clean room. Courtesy - MBRSC
Engineers ran a series of tests on the probe at MBRSC's clean room. Courtesy - MBRSC

If successfully placed in the Martian orbit, it will be the first orbiter to get a global view of the Red Planet due to high-altitude positioning.

The objective of the mission is to study the upper and lower atmosphere of the planet.

Developed in the US, the probe arrived in the UAE a couple of months ago and was kept at MBRSC’s clean room.

It went through a series of critical tests, including a decontamination, installation and testing of the solar panels and shock tests.

This will be the second time the UAE launches a mission from Japan's Tanegashima Space Centre.

KhalifaSat, the first 100 per cent Emirati-built satellite, was launched from the centre in 2018.

KhalifaSat was sent to Japan 40 days before it took off on October 29.

Mars missions from other countries are also trying to ensure a timely launch.

Nasa’s Mars 2020 will be launching this July from Florida. China also plans to launch its Mars orbiter this summer.

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  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
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Abdullah Al Ruwaished

(Rotana)

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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Starring: Ajay Devgn, Tabu, Shantanu Maheshwari, Jimmy Shergill, Saiee Manjrekar

Director: Neeraj Pandey

Rating: 2.5/5

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September to November or March to May; this is when visitors are most likely to see what they’ve come for.

WHERE TO STAY:

Meghauli Serai, A Taj Safari - Chitwan National Park resort (tajhotels.com) is a one-hour drive from Bharatpur Airport with stays costing from Dh1,396 per night, including taxes and breakfast. Return airport transfers cost from Dh661.

HOW TO GET THERE:

Etihad Airways regularly flies from Abu Dhabi to Kathmandu from around Dh1,500 per person return, including taxes. Buddha Air (buddhaair.com) and Yeti Airlines (yetiairlines.com) fly from Kathmandu to Bharatpur several times a day from about Dh660 return and the flight takes just 20 minutes. Driving is possible but the roads are hilly which means it will take you five or six hours to travel 148 kilometres.

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Financial considerations before buying a property

Buyers should try to pay as much in cash as possible for a property, limiting the mortgage value to as little as they can afford. This means they not only pay less in interest but their monthly costs are also reduced. Ideally, the monthly mortgage payment should not exceed 20 per cent of the purchaser’s total household income, says Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching.

“If it’s a rental property, plan for the property to have periods when it does not have a tenant. Ensure you have enough cash set aside to pay the mortgage and other costs during these periods, ideally at least six months,” she says. 

Also, shop around for the best mortgage interest rate. Understand the terms and conditions, especially what happens after any introductory periods, Ms Glynn adds.

Using a good mortgage broker is worth the investment to obtain the best rate available for a buyer’s needs and circumstances. A good mortgage broker will help the buyer understand the terms and conditions of the mortgage and make the purchasing process efficient and easier. 

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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.
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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

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Teaching your child to save

Pre-school (three - five years)

You can’t yet talk about investing or borrowing, but introduce a “classic” money bank and start putting gifts and allowances away. When the child wants a specific toy, have them save for it and help them track their progress.

Early childhood (six - eight years)

Replace the money bank with three jars labelled ‘saving’, ‘spending’ and ‘sharing’. Have the child divide their allowance into the three jars each week and explain their choices in splitting their pocket money. A guide could be 25 per cent saving, 50 per cent spending, 25 per cent for charity and gift-giving.

Middle childhood (nine - 11 years)

Open a bank savings account and help your child establish a budget and set a savings goal. Introduce the notion of ‘paying yourself first’ by putting away savings as soon as your allowance is paid.

Young teens (12 - 14 years)

Change your child’s allowance from weekly to monthly and help them pinpoint long-range goals such as a trip, so they can start longer-term saving and find new ways to increase their saving.

Teenage (15 - 18 years)

Discuss mutual expectations about university costs and identify what they can help fund and set goals. Don’t pay for everything, so they can experience the pride of contributing.

Young adulthood (19 - 22 years)

Discuss post-graduation plans and future life goals, quantify expenses such as first apartment, work wardrobe, holidays and help them continue to save towards these goals.

* JP Morgan Private Bank 

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