![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/J7G3UO6JRVO4A63ZNKYUPBKEYM.jpg?smart=true&auth=cfedff8e8f48b05ccdc9a2b38fb2394729da6d6eb39225900d3e6d4f16f3af99&width=400&height=225)
A launch date is yet to be confirmed for the Arab world's first deep space mission, but it has to be from July 14 to August 3, when Earth and Mars align and make the mission possible
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/CNYDHIGHVCUBVJLRMHIOCNYVQU.jpg?smart=true&auth=1fd7140f44b1e3b1f292bc388b3ad659a8a14e48547db8c812275a4db37f98c0&width=400&height=225)
A lorry slowly carries the Mars Hope probe - contained in this special sealed container - from the space centre near Dubai International Airport to Dubai World Central. The normally 45-minute journey took 12 hours to minimise bumps. Courtesy: MBRSC
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/KW24PUA5EZ2SJVJO5REGE676AU.jpg?smart=true&auth=cbeb39083dd30a07c2d3bb6e8076a84fb4c43120f27d85e9f888441835fc5aa4&width=400&height=225)
The three and half-day journey involved painstaking planning to ensure the probe was not damaged
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/COBELV3YIIDKXCF4PYVHCLLB6Y.jpg?smart=true&auth=77135482943aa1cbfef2521c85488ea6f99cec8e15aa9333ba8bc7ff73913479&width=400&height=225)
Maximus Air, an Abu Dhabi aviation firm specilising in huge cargo shipments, used an Antonov 124 to carry the probe
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/M6I3ICNB7JSTJ3WDCRQGS2NC74.jpg?smart=true&auth=54ca734d28d0c4a61a52c81e6d627e911e4e912b16917b56e8e66fba91b45249&width=400&height=225)
The box is loaded onto the Antonov ahead of the flight to Japan
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/IFJYVGYVUVAH7PD4IP7F7ZGGKE.jpg?smart=true&auth=07552a3722207aa55eae3bf5421fe1aecfd06137d983ae991c14e93970334f0f&width=400&height=225)
Emirati engineers travelling with the probe secured special permission to enter Japan, which has been on lockdown due to the coronavirus
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/2CQ3QHXQO2MSMSBKAYLTTF5WNY.jpg?smart=true&auth=2c492354e92f85011a0762e667fec0552f2b9bf5356d31c0054b4cb7f235dfaf&width=400&height=225)
Engineers discuss the journey to the launch centre on Tanegashima Island, about 1,000km south of Tokyo
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/5H52UHXXPHN6EPSUI2NAKZV75M.jpg?smart=true&auth=db44a73d0ca5a3db75c4a43fe20901831d43e525f3c29477e6fa7aa2a46a25f1&width=400&height=225)
Emirati engineers have spent years constructing the device at a lab in Dubai
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/326I5LBFWAORDRLJMWTQB4IT24.jpg?smart=true&auth=e20191a6a689dea112a014b11d5752c9de4f929faf1c22d072ac0a9ddb257290&width=400&height=225)
An earlier picture showing the probe before it was completed
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/VK6RDMOTWQTU6GUMCSLNARXZ4Y.jpg?smart=true&auth=62eb914b78e0bdcfec9d813e16e50944ff3bf352c738c8e51e490cd65e5ff4ce&width=400&height=225)
The total journey took 83 hours
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/J7G3UO6JRVO4A63ZNKYUPBKEYM.jpg?smart=true&auth=cfedff8e8f48b05ccdc9a2b38fb2394729da6d6eb39225900d3e6d4f16f3af99&width=400&height=225)
A launch date is yet to be confirmed for the Arab world's first deep space mission, but it has to be from July 14 to August 3, when Earth and Mars align and make the mission possible
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/CNYDHIGHVCUBVJLRMHIOCNYVQU.jpg?smart=true&auth=1fd7140f44b1e3b1f292bc388b3ad659a8a14e48547db8c812275a4db37f98c0&width=400&height=225)
A lorry slowly carries the Mars Hope probe - contained in this special sealed container - from the space centre near Dubai International Airport to Dubai World Central. The normally 45-minute journey took 12 hours to minimise bumps. Courtesy: MBRSC
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/KW24PUA5EZ2SJVJO5REGE676AU.jpg?smart=true&auth=cbeb39083dd30a07c2d3bb6e8076a84fb4c43120f27d85e9f888441835fc5aa4&width=400&height=225)
The three and half-day journey involved painstaking planning to ensure the probe was not damaged
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/COBELV3YIIDKXCF4PYVHCLLB6Y.jpg?smart=true&auth=77135482943aa1cbfef2521c85488ea6f99cec8e15aa9333ba8bc7ff73913479&width=400&height=225)
Maximus Air, an Abu Dhabi aviation firm specilising in huge cargo shipments, used an Antonov 124 to carry the probe
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/M6I3ICNB7JSTJ3WDCRQGS2NC74.jpg?smart=true&auth=54ca734d28d0c4a61a52c81e6d627e911e4e912b16917b56e8e66fba91b45249&width=400&height=225)
The box is loaded onto the Antonov ahead of the flight to Japan
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/IFJYVGYVUVAH7PD4IP7F7ZGGKE.jpg?smart=true&auth=07552a3722207aa55eae3bf5421fe1aecfd06137d983ae991c14e93970334f0f&width=400&height=225)
Emirati engineers travelling with the probe secured special permission to enter Japan, which has been on lockdown due to the coronavirus
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/2CQ3QHXQO2MSMSBKAYLTTF5WNY.jpg?smart=true&auth=2c492354e92f85011a0762e667fec0552f2b9bf5356d31c0054b4cb7f235dfaf&width=400&height=225)
Engineers discuss the journey to the launch centre on Tanegashima Island, about 1,000km south of Tokyo
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/5H52UHXXPHN6EPSUI2NAKZV75M.jpg?smart=true&auth=db44a73d0ca5a3db75c4a43fe20901831d43e525f3c29477e6fa7aa2a46a25f1&width=400&height=225)
Emirati engineers have spent years constructing the device at a lab in Dubai
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/326I5LBFWAORDRLJMWTQB4IT24.jpg?smart=true&auth=e20191a6a689dea112a014b11d5752c9de4f929faf1c22d072ac0a9ddb257290&width=400&height=225)
An earlier picture showing the probe before it was completed
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/VK6RDMOTWQTU6GUMCSLNARXZ4Y.jpg?smart=true&auth=62eb914b78e0bdcfec9d813e16e50944ff3bf352c738c8e51e490cd65e5ff4ce&width=400&height=225)
The total journey took 83 hours
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/J7G3UO6JRVO4A63ZNKYUPBKEYM.jpg?smart=true&auth=cfedff8e8f48b05ccdc9a2b38fb2394729da6d6eb39225900d3e6d4f16f3af99&width=400&height=225)
A launch date is yet to be confirmed for the Arab world's first deep space mission, but it has to be from July 14 to August 3, when Earth and Mars align and make the mission possible
There could be a city on Mars within 100 years
The scale of ambition in the UAE's plan to colonise the red planet sets it apart from other nations' Martian missions
Rick Tumlinson
28 May, 2020
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