UAE leaders sign final piece of Hope Probe

The UAE leaders have given the country's Mars Mission an inspirational touch by signing the metal piece that will be attached to the Hope Probe.

The signatures of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces will be engraved on the piece before it launches into space in July.

The casing will also bear an Arabic phrase that reads: "The power of hope shortens the distance between earth and sky".

On Twitter, Sheikh Mohammed said the phrase "sends a message to all Arab youth that we are able to succeed and compete and not to lose the power of hope that can move mountains".

وقعت اليوم وأخي محمد بن زايد القطعة الاخيرة من الهيكل الخارجي لمسبار الأمل ..أول مسبار عربي إسلامي سيصل للمريخ ..نقشنا عليه عبارة "قوة الأمل تختصر المسافة بين الأرض والسماء " لنرسل رسالة لجميع الشباب العربي بأننا قادرون على النجاح والمنافسة وبأن لا نفقد قوة الأمل التي تحرك الجبال pic.twitter.com/Q0LLSvnsO2

— HH Sheikh Mohammed (@HHShkMohd) January 5, 2020

“Buoyed by the determination of our youth, we are proceeding with our space programme to serve science and humanity,” Sheikh Mohamed said.

With great optimism, my brother Mohammed bin Rashid and I today signed a piece of the Hope Probe, which will be launched to Mars in July. Buoyed by the determination of our youth, we are proceeding with our space programme to serve science and humanity. pic.twitter.com/5MASKmuKrg

— محمد بن زايد (@MohamedBinZayed) January 5, 2020

The names of Supreme Council Members and Crown Princes will also feature on the metal piece.