In pictures: Abu Dhabi landmarks light up for UAE Mars launch
The Hope Probe is set to launch on July 15…
Some of Abu Dhabi’s most recognisable landmarks shone bright with a message of support for the nation’s space aspirations last night.
Abu Dhabi Media Office, shared a selection of images and a video of how some buildings in the capital were celebrating the build-up to what will be, without question, one of the biggest moments in the region’s space story.
Mars 4
Mars Probe
Mars 2
Mars 3
The hashtag #FirstArabicCounbtdown is currently trending on Twitter, with the event now just over a day away.
With the #FirstArabicCountdown in space exploration’s history #AbuDhabi‘s iconic buildings light up in preparation for the #HopeProbe to Mars on 15 July 2020 pic.twitter.com/zEOLIDhg6r
— مكتب أبوظبي الإعلامي (@admediaoffice) July 12, 2020
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The launch is set for 12:51am (midnight) UAE time on Wednesday July 15 (so that means Tuesday night) and you can watch it all streamed live on the emirates mission website.
Japan’s Tanegashima Island is the site of the probe’s launch, which will break earth’s gravitational hold with the assistance of a Japanese H-IIA rocket.
*Captains voice over intercom* The cruising altitude will be about 112 million kilometers, with a launch speed of about 34,082 kilometers per hour, and thanks to some convenient Mars/Earth alignment, the journey to the red planet will just take a comparatively brief seven months.
Once safely in Martian orbit, the probe will ‘awaken’ and using the comprehensive cache of high-tech scientific monitoring equipment on board, hopefuly gain new insights about the nature and history of Mars.
Images: Abu Dhabi Media Office
