After its successful Mars Orbiter Mission, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) called for 'Announcement of Opportunities' on Mars Orbiter Mission-2. But there are other major projects that are lined up. After the Mars Orbiter Mission's success, ISRO also decided to explore Venus. China's Mars probe sends back video of Red Planet. Have 300 Colonists on Mars 2,000M Have 40 Colonists with all needs about 70 1 Medium Dome prefab Have 8 operational Domes 10,000 Research points India: Construct a Dome by the end of Sol 5 4 Moisture Vaporator prefabs Produce 50 Polymers 25 Drone prefabs Have a total of 200 Buildings 1,000M Have 4 Domes with Spires 8,000 Research points.
Science
Hope is the first mission to Mars launched by the United Arab Emirates. The country aims to use it to transform global science, the nation's space sector and its economy. Here's what you need to know about the mission.
The Emirates Mars Mission has sent an unmanned spacecraft, or probe, into Martian orbit. As with other current Mars missions, run by China and the US — Tianwen-1 and Mars 2020, respectively — the UAE's mission launched in July 2020. That was when the Earth and Mars were especially close to one another, and that reduced travel time to the red planet by about two months.
India Mission To Mars
What's in a name?
The probe's name is Al-Amal — Arabic for 'hope' — and, as such, the name is pretty self-explanatory.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, vice president and prime minister of the UAE and ruler of the Emirate of Dubai, said the government chose the name from 'thousands of suggestions ... as it sends a message of optimism to millions of young Arabs.'
Read more: The facts on the Tianwen-1 Mars orbiter and rover
The Emirates Mars Mission Hope Probe being built in a 'clean room'
'Arab civilization once played a great role in contributing to human knowledge and will play that role again,' Vice President Mohammed bin Rashid said. 'The Hope probe embodies the culture of possibilities deeply rooted in the UAE's approach, philosophy and journey of accelerating development.'
First for UAE
Hope is the UAE's first interplanetary mission. The operation aims to provide the global scientific community with novel data. The probe will fly around Mars in a way that's never been done before.
The mission was announced in 2014 following a feasibility study the year before. It's been a mere seven years from concept to launch.
UAE's space sector is young and small, but it is one with a successful track record. It has been vibrant in Earth observation for about a decade.
In 2006, the national space agency, run by the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC), started a knowledge transfer program with South Korea.
That collaboration has produced a clutch of Earth observation satellites, including DubaiSat-1 and DubaiSat-2, which launched in 2009 and 2013. They were followed by a nanosatellite called Nayif-1 in 2017.
In 2018, the MBRSC launched its first '100% UAE-designed and manufactured' remote-sensing satellite, KhalifaSat.
Read more: The facts on Perseverance: Mars 2020 Rover
The MRBSC also has an astronaut program. Hazzaa Al-Mansoori became the first Emirati in space when he flew to the International Space Station (ISS) on a scientific mission in 2019.
Hopeful 'launch window'
The Hope Probe launched on July 20, 2020 — six days later than originally scheduled. It was postponed due to bad weather, but that is quite common.
Where was the launch site?
It launched from the Tanegashima Space Center in Japan. The same site was used for the KhalifaSat in 2018.
The UAE has also launched missions from Kazakhstan, Russia, and India.
What was it riding on?
A Japanese H-IIA rocket carried the probe into space.
Mars Orbit Insertion and operation
The Hope Probe entered into its Martian orbit on February 9, 2021. The date coincides with the UAE's 50th anniversary celebrations.
What's special about Hope's orbit?
Hope's orbit was designed to have an elliptical range from about 20,000 kilometers at its lowest point to 43,000 kilometers at its highest point. Scientists say the orbit allowed them to explore the planet's full 'diurnal' — or day-to-night — cycle, and a first for Mars.
Why did it launch in July 2020?
Every 18 to 24 months, Earth and Mars align in such a way that the journey — or trajectory — is effectively shortened from a nine-month to a seven-month trip.
Failing to begin the trip during the 'launch window' of July to August 2020 would have meant the mission would have to have been waited another two years. But that wouldn't have been good for the UAE's 50th anniversary celebrations, so Hope had to go on time.
The mission
Hope has three scientific objectives, but the main goal is to provide the first complete picture of the Martian atmosphere. Once that data has been verified, it will be open to the global space research community.
Goal 1: To understand the climate dynamics of Mars and the planet's global weather map by characterizing its lower atmosphere.
Goal 2: To explain how the weather on Mars affects the escape of hydrogen and oxygen from its atmosphere.
Goal 3: To understand the structure and variability of hydrogen and oxygen in the upper atmosphere, and identify why Mars is losing those gases into space.
Read more: What's the science on the Emirates Mars Mission?
The data will be collected at Mars for an entire Martian year.
Another key objective is to offer the global science community new and useful insights about Mars and to further our understanding of how and why Mars is uninhabitable for humans — why its atmosphere wouldn't protect us the same way our atmosphere does on Earth.
But it's not all altruistic. The UAE is keen to expand its science and technology sector to transform the country into more of a knowledge-based economy as the global demand for oil decreases.
Unique Vacation: Mars Expedition
Instruments on the probe
The Hope probe features three instruments: an Emirates eXploration Imager (EXI), an Emirates Mars InfraRed Spectrometer (EMIRS), and an Emirates Mars Ultraviolet Spectrometer (EMUS).
EXI: Will study the lower atmosphere of Mars and capture high-resolution images. It will measure the optical depth of water ice in the atmosphere and analyze the Martian ozone.
EMIRS: Will study the Martian lower atmosphere. It will measure the global distribution of dust, ice clouds, water vapor, and temperature.
EMUS: Will measure the levels and variability of carbon monoxide and oxygen in the Martian thermosphere. It will also measure oxygen and hydrogen in the exosphere.
International collaboration
This mission is all about collaboration.
The UAE is keen on international collaboration, but it says it wants to build a community of Emirati scientists and engineers
For the mission, the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Center struck partnerships with the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics at the University of Colorado, Boulder; the Space Sciences Laboratory at the University of California, Berkeley; and the School of Earth and Space Exploration at Arizona State University.
Read more: Eta Carinae: Revolving binary stars whip up winds in space
It also collaborated with the University College London, which produced a 'value analysis' report on UAE's use of space to transform its future.
Chances of success
Space is never easy. A lot can go wrong. But UAE had success launching the KhalifaSat from Japan, and it was on the same kind of rocket — so, that's a good start.
Artist's impression of The Hope / Al-Amal Probe orbiting Mars
But whether Hope works or not, the UAE have bigger plans in space.
The UAE want to establish 'the first inhabitable human settlement' on Mars by 2117.
India Mars Probe
Part of that plan is its Mars Science City, a collection of laboratories that will investigate the planet, as well as food and energy challenges there and here.
This article was originally published on July 7, 2020. It was updated to reflect developments in the mission on February 9, 2021.
From colonies on Mars to Hyperloop — Elon Musk's multifarious projects
A serial entrepreneur
Tech visionary Musk intends to revolutionize transportation, both on earth and in space, and the way humans lead their lives. Over the past two decades, the South African-born American entrepreneur has emerged as one of Silicon Valley's most recognized faces worldwide. Musk was cofounder of Paypal, which was acquired by eBay for $1.4 billion (€1.2 billion) in 2002.
From colonies on Mars to Hyperloop — Elon Musk's multifarious projects
Eying space
In 2002, Musk founded SpaceX, an aerospace manufacturer and space transport services company currently valued at over $20 billion. He wants to make space travel cheaper and, eventually, enable human life on Mars, thus giving human kind a chance at becoming multi-planetary species.
From colonies on Mars to Hyperloop — Elon Musk's multifarious projects
A mission to Mars
SpaceX's Falcon and Dragon rocket programs both already deliver payloads into Earth's orbit. The company has said it wants to launch its Mars-bound cargo flight in 2022, followed by the first Mars flight with passengers in 2024.
From colonies on Mars to Hyperloop — Elon Musk's multifarious projects
Transforming transportation
After founding SpaceX, Musk set up Tesla in 2003 to come up with electric autonomous vehicles and renewable energy solutions. But production bottlenecks have plagued the company, with much of its future banked on the Model 3, its first mid-price, mass-market vehicle.
From colonies on Mars to Hyperloop — Elon Musk's multifarious projects
Really big Teslas are coming
After the foray into electric cars, Musk last year opened a new chapter in his book of visions as he unveiled the prototype of a futuristic all-electric heavy truck. The vehicle — dubbed the Tesla Semi — is set to go into production in 2019. It would boast 500 miles of range, a battery and motors that will last 1 million miles and cheaper total operating costs than diesel models, Musk claimed.
From colonies on Mars to Hyperloop — Elon Musk's multifarious projects
Roofs made of solar tiles
Besides running SpaceX and Tesla, Musk has also invested in the solar energy company SolarCity to turn his vision of a solar-powered future into a reality. Musk said houses equipped with Tesla's Solar Roof would feed energy to Powerwall, a sleek storage unit designed to act as an electricity fill-up station for both the house and a Tesla electric car.
From colonies on Mars to Hyperloop — Elon Musk's multifarious projects
Dreaming an electric future
In 2015, Musk unveiled Powerwall, a home battery unit with a selling price of $3,500 for 10kWh and $3,000 for 7kWh. The Powerwall can be controlled via one's phone, from anywhere. But slow production rates have proved to be a problem.
From colonies on Mars to Hyperloop — Elon Musk's multifarious projects
Hyperloop
Hyperloop came into global prominence after it was proposed by Musk in 2013. It is viewed as a next-generation transportation system — a 'fifth mode' of transport (after planes, trains, cars and boats). It uses magnetically-levitated pods and sealed partial vacuum transit tubes to move people and freight at supersonic speeds estimated to reach over 700 miles per hour (1,127 kilometers per hour).
From colonies on Mars to Hyperloop — Elon Musk's multifarious projects
Merging brain with AI
In 2016, Musk co-founded Neuralink, a neurotechnology startup that is reportedly trying to create brain-computer interfaces by integrating the human brain with artificial intelligence (AI). The project is currently at an early stage of development.
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New Delhi: As NASA's Perseverance rover landed on Mars in the early hours of Friday to look for signs of past life, ISRO's next mission to the Red Planet is likely to be an orbiter.
Perseverance, the biggest and the most advanced rover ever sent by NASA, made its landing at Jezero Crater.
After its successful Mars Orbiter Mission, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) called for 'Announcement of Opportunities' on Mars Orbiter Mission-2.
- India
ISRO develops radar for joint earth observation satellite mission with NASA
- World
'Stuff of our dreams': NASA releases first audio from Mars, video of landing on red planet
'It is now planned to have the next orbiter mission around Mars for a future launch opportunity,' according to the Announcement of Opportunities.
But there are other major projects that are lined up. After the Mars Orbiter Mission's success, ISRO also decided to explore Venus.
However, the immediate priorities of ISRO remain to be Chandrayaan-3 and Gaganyaan - both projects have been delayed due to the coronavirus-induced lockdown.
Under Chandrayaan-3, ISRO will once again try to land a rover on the Moon. The mission was to be launched late last year.
Chandrayaan-2 did not yield expected results as the lander hard-landed, dashing India's hopes to successfully land on the Moon.
ISRO plans to send three humans to space by 2022 under the Gaganyaan (human space) mission.
The India France Joint Vision for Space Cooperation' also mentions about the possible collaboration to explore Mars.
India Mars Probe
'CNES and ISRO, with the support of Laboratoire de meteorologic dynamique (LMD, CNRS), will jointly work on the modelling of Mars and Venus atmospheres,' the vision statement said.
Mangalyaan or Mars Orbiter Mission was India's first endeavour to successfully reach another planet. The launch vehicle, spacecraft and ground segment cost Rs 450 crore, one of the cheapest missions to Mars so far.
India Marshall
Designed to work for six months, the mission has completed over six years.
India Mars Mission Launch
The Mars orbiter has sent thousands of pictures totalling more than two terabytes.