Last night, history was made in the UAE as the Hope Probe reached Mars’ orbit, making the mission a success.
The entire country waited in silence during the breakthrough mission, after the probe slowed its speed down to end the Red Planet’s orbit after a seven-month journey.
There was a 50 per cent chance of failure and a 50 per cent chance of success, of which it was the latter. For the controllers of the probe, it was an intense 15 minutes waiting and watching to see the mission succeed.
The emotional moment when the project manager of Emirates Mars Mission, Omran Sharaf, confirmed the Hope Probe had reached Mars’ orbit was caught on camera.
With ten minutes to go to complete the mission, an announcement by Minister Sarah Al Amiri was made regarding all systems going as per plan, with the crowd outside letting out a sigh of relief as Sharaf, patiently waited for the final results.
pic.twitter.com/QsNj6dUzJo
— Hope Mars Mission (@HopeMarsMission) February 10, 2021
With time passing by, the crowd waited in anticipation, when eventually the signal blinked, notifying the staff the Hope Probe mission was a success.
Sharaf made an announcement about the landing as the team spread their excitement in the office, when he recited “Allah be praised, Allah be praised, Allah be praised.”
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum also said, “We’re immensely proud of our achievement. A journey that began from the desert dunes is now embracing space. This is a Nation whose leaders believed & invested in a generation that today led us to Mars.A new chapter is born, bringing Arabs to the forefront of science & innovation”
We’re immensely proud of our achievement. A journey that began from the desert dunes is now embracing space. This is a Nation whose leaders believed & invested in a generation that today led us to Mars.A new chapter is born, bringing Arabs to the forefront of science & innovation pic.twitter.com/u3EaU2uKTX
— Maktoum Bin Mohammed (@MaktoumMohammed) February 9, 2021
Congratulations to the UAE yet again for their remarkable stride in this arena.
