Arab News Japan

DUBAI: The UAE took one giant leap to Mars and instilled hope in the Arab and Muslim world after it successfully entered the red planet’s orbit on Tuesday.

The Hope Probe managed to achieve a mission that more than 50 percent of previous spacecrafts have failed.

The Historic Moment: Announcing the success of Mars Orbit Insertion!#ArabsToMars #HopeProbe pic.twitter.com/4N1uaHb0GS

— Hope Mars Mission (@HopeMarsMission) February 9, 2021

Japan played a vital role in ensuring the success of the Arab probe, from pre-launch to the moment it reached outer space.

The Hope Probe successfully lifted off from Tanegashima Space Center last year, mounted on a Mitsubishi Heavy Industries’ H-IIA launch vehicle F42.

The vehicle is Japan’s flagship launch vehicle and one of the most reliable launch vehicles in the world. Hope’s lift off in July was the 45th consecutive successful H-IIA/H-IIB launch, with an accumulative success rate of 98.0%.

We have lift-off. H2A, the rocket carrying the Hope Probe to space, has launched from the Tanegashima Space Centre in Japan.#HopeMarsMission pic.twitter.com/pRKZLOL7NT

— Hope Mars Mission (@HopeMarsMission) July 19, 2020

Naohiko Abe, Senior Vice President and Head of Integrated Defense and Space Systems at MHI, said the day of the launch: “I greatly appreciate the continuous support and cooperation of UAE’s Space Agency and MBRSC with us over the 4 years since MHI received the contract in March 2016.”

“I sincerely hope that the successful completion of the Mars mission by the spacecraft will bring hope and delight to people all around the world in the midst of this global crisis due to COVID-19. MHI values its relationships of trust we have built over the years with the UAE government,” he added.

Congratulations to @uaespacecentre @MBRSpaceCentre and all of those dedicated to the @HopeMarsMission on the arrival of #HopeProbe to the red planet! As your launch service provider, it is our honor to have been part of this eye-opening mission.@MHI_LS #MoveTheWorldForward https://t.co/dNQdlCjZAe

— Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (@MHI_Group) February 10, 2021

Preparation for the Emirates Mars Mission began six years prior, and the probe, along with the first team of Emirati engineers, arrived in Japan April 6 of last year.

The collaboration between the UAE and Japan “exemplifies the distinctive strategic partnership,” according to UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi also praised the launch of the UAE’s Hope Probe to Mars as a “very important project” symbolizing the “strong relationship” between the two countries.

Vice President of JAXA Yasuo Ishii said it was an “honour for Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency to be part of the historical launch of the Hope mission from our Tanegashima Space Centre by the H-IIA Launch vehicle,” according to WAM.

Ishii praised the UAE’s efforts in making the first Arab mission to Mars a reality, and said he looked forward to “promoting further cooperation with the UAE in space activities.”

Japanese Ambassador to the UAE Akihiko Nakajima also pointed out the “daunting task” the UAE took on but managed to complete with success.

“Integrating all the related technologies, both mature and emerging, into a single mission architecture requires excellent talents, guts and skills,” he said.

Nakajima said the space mission yields more opportunities for further bilateral cooperation between the UAE and Japan.

Now that the Hope spacecraft has entered Mars’ orbit, the next steps will be to spend some time in the capture orbit as a transition to science phase.

The spacecraft will study the Martian atmosphere over 685 Earth days, and is unique in that it will complete the first-ever planet-wide, 24×7 picture of Mars’ atmospheric dynamics and weather.