As the UAE gears up for a history-making moment on Wednesday July 15 with the launch of the Hope Probe, the nation is looking to the words of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.
The founding father of the nation’s words have been immortalised in a video posted to the Ministry of Defence’s Twitter page.
In the video, Sheikh Zayed discusses “hope”, which is perfectly fitting ahead of the launch of the probe to Mars.
“History records, eyes of people see and minds know the difference,” he says. “Work for hope, because hope is the actual value of humans.”
HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, also appears in the video, he is seen inspecting the probe which will take off on July 15. His Highness also discusses the late Sheikh Zayed’s “ambitions to reach space”.
مسبار الأمل | HOPE PROBE pic.twitter.com/0b7Fj4C4rq
— وزارة الدفاع |MOD UAE (@modgovae) July 12, 2020
“Sheikh Zayed used to invite astronauts to Abu Dhabi, to ask them questions and talk to them,” Sheikh Mohammed said. “He had ambitions to reach space, and thank God, his sons and our brothers reached the skies, among the stars.
“We don’t recognise the word ‘impossible’, and that is why we chose the name Hope Probe.”
The probe, which is set to take off from Japan’s Tanegashima Space Centre, was signed by Sheikh Mohammed and HH Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and the Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, earlier this year.
The probe is being spearheaded by the UAE in order to gain a full picture on what the atmosphere of Mars is like. Once the probe reaches the planet some time in 2021, data will be collected over a two-year period, but this could be extended by another two years meaning the Hope Probe has the potential to be in space until 2025.
