'It is about our survival': UAE's Mars mission prepares for launch

The Arab world’s first interplanetary mission, due to launch in 40 days’ time and reach the orbit of Mars in February next year, is about the survival and future of the entire Middle East, The Guardian reports, citing the leaders of the United Arab Emirates project.

The launch of the unmanned probe is also the latest sign that the old cartel of space exploration, once confined to the superpowers, is being broken up by new national entrants or private sector firms.

The “Hope Mars mission”, due to be launched on 15 July, has been in preparation by the United Arab Emirates since 2014, and according to the project manager, Omran Sharaf, is seen as integral to the country’s long-term economic development. “It is about the future of the UAE and our survival,” Sharaf said.

The mission’s objective is not to land on Mars, but to orbit the planet to study the dynamics of its atmosphere over an entire Martian year (687 Earth days) and form a more complete picture of its climate.