UAE’s Mars Hope spacecraft is “standing tall” and the lift-off moment is “coming soon”, a letter from a space official said.
Hamad Obaid Al Mansouri, the chairman of the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC), wrote the letter to the UAE Mars mission team after the much-anticipated launch was postponed twice because of unstable weather conditions at the launch site in Japan’s Tanegashima island.
A team of engineers from the space centre worked on the mission for six years and on a tight budget of Dh735 million.
“The Hope probe is standing tall and is waiting for the countdown,” Mr Al Mansoori wrote 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 the 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 first launch attempt on July 15 was scrubbed and the July 17 date was also pushed back because of unstable weather in Tanegashima. A new date is expected to be announced by Thursday morning.
The UAE has a narrow launch window until August 3 to launch the spacecraft. If missed, the team will have to wait until 2022 for the next launch opportunity.
The spacecraft is inside the payload fairing and is mounted on top of the H-IIA rocket, a launcher provided by Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.
The Hope probe aims to study the climate of the Red Planet and will send data back to Earth, so scientists and researchers are able to analyse the relationship between the upper and lower atmosphere.
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What is blockchain?
Blockchain is a form of distributed ledger technology, a digital system in which data is recorded across multiple places at the same time. Unlike traditional databases, DLTs have no central administrator or centralised data storage. They are transparent because the data is visible and, because they are automatically replicated and impossible to be tampered with, they are secure.
The main difference between blockchain and other forms of DLT is the way data is stored as ‘blocks’ – new transactions are added to the existing ‘chain’ of past transactions, hence the name ‘blockchain’. It is impossible to delete or modify information on the chain due to the replication of blocks across various locations.
Blockchain is mostly associated with cryptocurrency Bitcoin. Due to the inability to tamper with transactions, advocates say this makes the currency more secure and safer than traditional systems. It is maintained by a network of people referred to as ‘miners’, who receive rewards for solving complex mathematical equations that enable transactions to go through.
However, one of the major problems that has come to light has been the presence of illicit material buried in the Bitcoin blockchain, linking it to the dark web.
Other blockchain platforms can offer things like smart contracts, which are automatically implemented when specific conditions from all interested parties are reached, cutting the time involved and the risk of mistakes. Another use could be storing medical records, as patients can be confident their information cannot be changed. The technology can also be used in supply chains, voting and has the potential to used for storing property records.
Other acts on the Jazz Garden bill
Sharrie Williams
The American singer is hugely respected in blues circles due to her passionate vocals and songwriting. Born and raised in Michigan, Williams began recording and touring as a teenage gospel singer. Her career took off with the blues band The Wiseguys. Such was the acclaim of their live shows that they toured throughout Europe and in Africa. As a solo artist, Williams has also collaborated with the likes of the late Dizzy Gillespie, Van Morrison and Mavis Staples.
Lin Rountree
An accomplished smooth jazz artist who blends his chilled approach with R‘n’B. Trained at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, DC, Rountree formed his own band in 2004. He has also recorded with the likes of Kem, Dwele and Conya Doss. He comes to Dubai on the back of his new single Pass The Groove, from his forthcoming 2018 album Stronger Still, which may follow his five previous solo albums in cracking the top 10 of the US jazz charts.
Anita Williams
Dubai-based singer Anita Williams will open the night with a set of covers and swing, jazz and blues standards that made her an in-demand singer across the emirate. The Irish singer has been performing in Dubai since 2008 at venues such as MusicHall and Voda Bar. Her Jazz Garden appearance is career highlight as she will use the event to perform the original song Big Blue Eyes, the single from her debut solo album, due for release soon.
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
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