The UAE has moved into the fast lane of the global space race in recent years after sending its first astronaut to the International Space Station and journeying into the orbit of Mars.
A landmark moon mission is also firmly in the sights of the country's burgeoning space agency, while the UAE also recruited the Arab world's first female astronaut this year.
While space chiefs are looking to the future with huge optimism and anticipation, they are also reflecting on a milestone moment 12 years ago that provided the launchpad for their bold dreams.
On July 29, 2009, the UAE fired its first satellite into the skies. DubaiSat-1, an Earth observation satellite that lifted off from Kazakhstan, went on to play a key role in urban developments from outer space.
It provided government bodies with pictures and data, assisting with projects carried out on Palm Jumeirah and Al Maktoum International Airport.
It also assisted with monitoring environmental patterns and weather changes.
Among the images it transmitted, the satellite, which cost US$50 million (Dh183.6m) to develop, captured imagery for the Emirates Atlas, a physical and online map of the UAE.
Such was its contribution it kept a watching brief over the Emirates and the rest of the world for six years - one year longer than planned.
The success of the UAE's maiden satellite paved the way for the remarkable progress to follow.
In 2018, engineers at the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre in Dubai launched their first 100 per cent Emirati-built satellite KhalifaSat.
The Hope probe successfully reached the orbit of Mars in February, as the UAE's space agency joined an elite club of five that have sent a spacecraft to the Red Planet.
In March, Dubai's environment nanosat, DMSat-1, launched into space from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.
Dubai Municipality and Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre will use the data it collects to create an air quality map of the UAE.
Built by the University of Toronto’s Space Flight Laboratory, the 15-kilogram small satellite will use three scientific instruments to gather data – a polarimeter imager and two spectrometers.
UAE's mission to Mars
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Engineers assemble the Hope Probe. Courtesy MBR Space Centre / Dubai Media Office -
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai; Sheikh Saif bin Zayed, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior; Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, and Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Dubai Crown Prince, visit the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Space Centre. Wam -
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, and Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, sign a piece of the Hope Probe, which will be launched to Mars in July, at Qasr Al Watan. Hamad Al Kaabi / Ministry of Presidential Affairs -
ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - January 05, 2020: HH Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces (front row 3rd R) and HH Sheikh Mohamed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President, Prime Minister of the UAE, Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Defence (front row 4th R), stand for a photograph after signing a piece of the Hope Probe, which will be launched to Mars in July, at Qasr Al Watan. Seen with HH Lt General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior (front row 2nd R), HH Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs (front row 5th R), HE Sarah Yousif Al Amiri, UAE Minister of State for Advanced Sciences (front row 6th R) and HH Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (front row 7th R). ( Hamad Al Kaabi / Ministry of Presidential Affairs ) --- -
The UAE's mission to Mars, the Hope Probe. -
A plaque featuring the UAE's new Nation Brand, a logo featuring seven lines representing the leaders of the seven Emirates who agreed to unite the country under one flag, has been attached to the Hope Probe, due to blast off for Mars in the summer. Wam -
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, and Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, witness the installation of the final piece of the Hope Probe. Courtesy: Dubai Media Office Twitter -
Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum said that the Hope Probe is a testament to the capabilities of the youth of the UAE. The project, which represents a historic achievement for the nation, also sends a message of hope to youth in the Arab world. Sheikh Mohammed’s remarks came as he was ceremonially handed the last component of the Hope Probe during an event held to mark its installation. His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre also attended the event. Wam -
Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum said that the Hope Probe is a testament to the capabilities of the youth of the UAE. The project, which represents a historic achievement for the nation, also sends a message of hope to youth in the Arab world. Sheikh Mohammed’s remarks came as he was ceremonially handed the last component of the Hope Probe during an event held to mark its installation. His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre also attended the event. Wam -
Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum said that the Hope Probe is a testament to the capabilities of the youth of the UAE. The project, which represents a historic achievement for the nation, also sends a message of hope to youth in the Arab world. Sheikh Mohammed’s remarks came as he was ceremonially handed the last component of the Hope Probe during an event held to mark its installation. In photo is Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre also attended the event. Wam -
Sheikh Mohammed was briefed by the Hope Probe team at the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre headquarters about the final technical and logistical preparations and testing procedures ahead of the Hope Probe’s launch in July. Wam -
The H-IIA (F42) launch vehicle at the Tanegashima Space Centre in Japan is being prepared for the launch. Courtesy: Dubai Media Office -
The Hope probe will launch on July 15 at 12.51am. Courtesy: Emirates Mars Mission -
Final preparations are under way at the launch site for the UAE Mars Mission in Japan's Tanegashima Island. The Hope probe was placed inside this payload fairing last week and was transferred to building where the rocket is kept. Courtesy: Shoma Watanbe -
Rocket carrying Hope probe to space has arrived at launch pad in Tanegashima island, Japan. Courtesy: Yoshiaki Sakita -
People watch a big screen displaying the launch of the Hope Probe from Tanegashima Island in Japan, at the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre in Dubai, United Arab Emirates July 20, 2020. REUTERS/Ahmed Jadallah -
In this handout photograph taken and released on July 20, 2020 by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries an H-2A rocket carrying the Hope Probe known as "Al-Amal" in Arabic, developed by the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to explore Mars, blasts off from Tanegashima Space Centre in southwestern Japan. The first Arab space mission to Mars blasted off on July 20 aboard a rocket from Japan, with the probe dubbed "Hope" successfully separating about an hour after liftoff. - --- RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO / (MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES)" - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS --- / AFP / Mitsubishi Heavy Industries / Handout / --- RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO / (MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES)" - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS --- -
DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES. 20 JULY 2020. Post launch briefing of the Hope Probe to Mars at the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Center. LtoR: Hamad Obaid Al Mansouri, the Chairman of the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC), H.E. Dr. Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi, Minister of State for Entrepreneurship and Small and Medium Enterprises and Omran Sharaf, Project Manager of Emirates Mars Mission, Hope Probe (Photo: Antonie Robertson/The National) Journalist: Sarwat. Section: National. -
Zakareyya Al Shamshi, deputy manager of Mission Operation, at the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre headquarters in Al Khawaneej. Antonie Robertson / The National -
DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES. 27 JULY 2020. MBRSC headquarters in Al Khawaneej. One week today since the Hope probe launched to Mars. LtoR: Mohammed Alblooshi, Flight Controller and Hamad Alhazami, Command and Control operator. (Photo: Antonie Robertson/The National) Journalist: Sarwat Nasir. Section: National. -
DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES. 27 JULY 2020. MBRSC headquarters in Al Khawaneej. One week today since the Hope probe launched to Mars. LtoR: Mohammed Alblooshi, Flight Controller and Hamad Alhazami, Command and Control operator. (Photo: Antonie Robertson/The National) Journalist: Sarwat Nasir. Section: National. -
ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - July 31, 2020: HH Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces front (front row 5th L), HH Sheikh Mohamed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President, Prime Minister of the UAE, Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Defence (front row 4th L) and HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohamed Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai (front row 3rd L), stand for a photograph with the Hope Probe team, during an honoring ceremony, at Qasr Al Watan. ( Hamad Al Kaabi / Ministry of Presidential Affairs ) --- -
An image beamed back from the UAE's Hope Probe showing Saturn and Jupiter growing ever closer last month. Courtesy: Hope Probe / MBR Space Centre -
Sarah Al Amiri, Minister of State for Advanced Sciences and chairwoman of the UAE Space Agency, briefs Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, and Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, on the Hope probe mission. Courtesy: Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Twitter -
epa08989888 The under-construction Museum of The Future is illuminated in red as the color of Mars in the Gulf emirate of Dubai, United Arab Emirates on 05 February 2021. Landmarks in the UAE are lit up in red in support to the Hope Probe reaching to Mars orbit on 09 February 2021. The Emirates Mars Mission Hope Probe is the first planetary mission led by an Arab-Islamic country and the space probe is to study the Martian atmosphere. EPA/ALI HAIDER -
Sarah Al Amiri, UAE Minister of State for Advanced Sciences, at an event to mark Hope Probe's entering the orbit of Mars, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, February 9. Reuters
It will take scientific images of the atmosphere over the UAE, helping to measure the location and levels of air pollutants and greenhouse gases. Images will be received days after launch.
Last October it was announced the UAE would build a satellite to be named in honour of Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces.
MBZ-Sat is expected to be launched in 2023.
It will be put to civilian and commercial uses and will be built by Emirati scientists and engineers.
