Hope Probe's Mars Mission adds to UAE's list of space achievements

With just five days to go before the UAE Hope Probe enters Mars' Orbit, it's worth taking stock of just how far the nation has come in its space achievements over the last three decades.

Thuraya Telecommunications was established in 1997, the nation’s first provider of mobile satellite communications.

The Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre was launched in 2006.

This was followed by YahSat Communications the following year.

Eight satellite launches then took place starting with DubaiSat 1 in 2009 and the most recent was MeznSat in 2020.

In 2014, the Emirates Space Agency was inaugurated, along with the announcement of plans to launch the first Arab probe to Mars.

Five years ago, the national space policy was endorsed to develop a sustainable and safe Emirati space sector.

Two years later, the first Emirati astronauts were chosen, Hazaa Al Mansouri and Sultan Al Neyadi.

And in 2019, Hazaa Al Mansouri became the first Arab astronaut to reach the international space station.

Then in 2020, the Hope Probe and the first Emirates Lunar Missions were launched, culminating next week with the Probe's entry into the Red Planet's orbit.