Emirates Mars Mission: Hope Probe Ready for Launch from Japan’s Tanegashima Space Centre
The UAE Space Agency and the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Center announced the safe transfer of the Mars Hope spacecraft to its launch site at Tanegashima Space Centre. The transfer was conducted in an 83-hour operation brought forward from its scheduled May shipment date because of the travel and movement restrictions imposed by international efforts to contain the impact of Covid-19. The Emirates Mars Mission, dubbed The Hope Probe, is the first interplanetary exploration undertaken by an Arab nation.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200429005385/en/
Transferring the probe via a special truck (Photo: AETOSWire)
“We’re on track for our July launch now,” said EMM Mission lead Omran Sharaf. “Mitigation planning and early action, along with the support of our partners and the Japanese Government, saved the day – the whole operation was basically a race against the clock and Covid-19 to ensure we managed to have the spacecraft at Tanegashima ready for its July/August launch window to Mars.”
A team of engineers travelled to Tanegashima two weeks prior to the probe’s early transfer in order to go through quarantine in time to meet the arriving shipment. A second team of engineers that accompanied the spacecraft is now in quarantine and scheduled to be ready for final tests and preparation of the spacecraft to launch on a Mitsubishi MH2A rocket.
The transfer operation saw an Antonov 124 heavy lifter carry the spacecraft in a specialised temperature and atmosphere-controlled container from Maktoum International Airport in The Emirates to Chubu Centrair International Airport at Nagoya, Japan. The spacecraft was then loaded onto a sea freighter, carried to Tanegashima’s Shimama Seaport and then transferred by night to the launch site.
The Emirates Mars Mission was conceived to disrupt and accelerate the development of the UAE’s space sector, education and science community. Led by MBRSC under the supervision of the UAE Space Agency, the mission will send the Mars Hope probe to orbit Mars in February 2021. Hope aims to build the first full picture of Mars’ climate throughout the Martian year.
EMM and the Hope probe are the culmination of a knowledge transfer and development effort started in 2006, which has seen Emirati engineers working with partners around the world to develop the UAE’s spacecraft design, engineering and manufacturing capabilities. The spacecraft was named as a symbol of hope for all Arab youth.
*Source: AETOSWire
To view this piece of content from cts.businesswire.com, please give your consent at the top of this page.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200429005385/en/
Contact information
Tasnim Hijazi, +971521607687
thijazi@apcoworldwide.com
About Business Wire
For more than 50 years, Business Wire has been the global leader in press release distribution and regulatory disclosure.
Subscribe to releases from Business Wire
Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Latest releases from Business Wire
Australian Defence Force Secures Satellite Communications on SES IS-2212.1.2026 23:30:00 EET | Press release
Satellite communications solutions provider SES will provide secure uninterrupted satellite communications to the Australian Defence Force (ADF) for a minimum of 16 years thanks to a new extended agreement. The service will be provided via the SES Intelsat 22 satellite and an ultra-high frequency (UHF) military communications payload. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260112137182/en/ Assistant Secretary Space Systems Branch, Michael Hunt, formalizes contract negotiations for the through-life support of the IS-22 satellite with Rory Welch, senior vice-president of service delivery at SES Space and Defense. Photos: Corporal Annika Smit Under the renewed arrangement, SES will reposition the IS-22 satellite to a new orbital slot specified by the ADF, continuing a mission that has been the cornerstone of Australia’s secure military communications since IS-22’s launch in 2012. SES will build a dedicated ground segmen
NetApp Appoints Paul Fipps to the Board of Directors12.1.2026 23:05:00 EET | Press release
NetApp® (NASDAQ: NTAP), the intelligent data infrastructure company, today announced that Paul Fipps, President of Global Customer Operations at ServiceNow, has joined its Board of Directors. The board now has ten directors, nine of whom are independent, and 50% of whom have been appointed within the last five years. Fipps brings more than 20 years of experience driving technology-enabled growth and customer transformation. At ServiceNow, he currently leads global sales, customer success, partner ecosystems, and field operations. He previously served as EVP of Worldwide Sales at ServiceNow and as President of Under Armour Connected Fitness and Chief Experience Officer at Under Armour, overseeing global direct-to-consumer, connected fitness, and digital experiences. He also previously served on the advisory board of Quantum Metric. Fipps holds a B.S. in Information Systems, an MBA from the University of Baltimore, and is a graduate of The Wharton School’s Advanced Management Program. “P
FDA Accepts New Drug Application for Pimicotinib for the Treatment of Tenosynovial Giant Cell Tumor12.1.2026 21:00:00 EET | Press release
Merck, a leading science and technology company, announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has accepted the company’s new drug application (NDA) for pimicotinib as a systemic treatment for patients with tenosynovial giant cell tumor (TGCT). The application is based on the primary results and longer-term follow-up of the global Phase 3 MANEUVER study, which demonstrated deep and durable tumor responses and meaningful improvements in clinical outcomes with pimicotinib. “With pimicotinib, we have an opportunity to significantly advance care for people living with TGCT, a painful and debilitating disease that has few effective and well-tolerated treatment options beyond surgery,” said David Weinreich, Global Head of R&D and Chief Medical Officer for the Healthcare business of Merck. “Based on clinical trial results showing not only a reduction in tumor burden, but also the ability to help alleviate symptoms like pain and stiffness in the global Phase 3 MANEUVER study
Fabentech receives Marketing Authorization for Ricimed®, an antidote against ricin poisoning12.1.2026 20:32:00 EET | Press release
Fabentech, a French biopharmaceutical company specializing in medical countermeasures against biological threats, today announces that it has been granted Marketing Authorization for Ricimed®, a treatment for ricin poisoning. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260112241557/en/ Ricimed - Fabentech Ricimed®, an antidote against one of the most toxic natural substances in the world In addition to supportive care, and in severe situations requiring immediate administration, Ricimed® represents a new therapeutic option for the management of acute ricin intoxication. Ricin, among the most dangerous naturally occurring substances, can cause death within hours or days regardless of the route of exposure, making it a major biological threat for many countries. Having demonstrated its ability to specifically target and neutralize ricin before irreversible damage occurs, Ricimed® is an antibody-based therapy relying on poly
Traxys Group and the Shareholders of Comax2 AB - the holding company of Carbomax AB - sign Share Purchase Agreement to sell 100% interests to Traxys Group12.1.2026 20:20:00 EET | Press release
Traxys S.à.r.l., Investment Aktiebolaget Spiltan and other major shareholders of Comax 2 AB – the holding company of Carbomax AB –are pleased to announce that they have signed a Share Purchase Agreement (SPA) to sell 100% interests to Traxys Group. Carbomax AB is a leading Swedish trading house and industrial operator specializing in ferroalloys, carbon products and briquettes. The transaction aims to strengthen Traxys’ presence in the Scandinavian market and support the region’s transition toward sustainable steel production. Closing of the transaction is expected to occur in the first quarter 2026 following clearance by Swedish authorities, including foreign direct investment and antitrust approvals. Carbomax serves regional steel plants and most of foundries across the Nordics. With its strategic location near Västerås harbor and integrated processing capabilities Carbomax is well-positioned to capitalize on growing demand for green steel and sustainable raw materials. Mark Kristoff
In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.
Visit our pressroom