UAE

Life and Living

World

Opinion

Business

Sports

Entertainment

Dubai World Cup

lifestyle

Travel

Reviews

Brands

Supplements

KT Events

KT APPDOWNLOAD

All eyes on weather as UAE's Mars probe gets new liftoff date

Top Stories

Embracing the bright side: A guide on how to cultivate optimism

The power of solitude: Why you should go on a solo trip

How to get your kids to read: Essential tips for parents
UAE’s Hope probe, mars mission, eyes on weather, UAEs Mars probe, new liftoff date

Dubai - The new liftoff date is subject to another delay if weather conditions remain unstable.

By Nandini Sircar

  • Follow us on
  • google-news
  • whatsapp
  • telegram

Published: Tue 14 Jul 2020, 8:00 PM

Last updated: Wed 15 Jul 2020, 12:35 PM

The UAE's Hope probe to Mars has got a new launch date as foul weather in Japan delayed its scheduled liftoff by 48 hours. The Arab world's first interplanetary mission is now scheduled to take off on July 17 at 12.43am from the Tanegashima Space Centre.

The probe was scheduled to launch in the early hours of Wednesday, but "storm clouds rolled in around the launch pad", after which the mission was given a no-go.
The new liftoff date is subject to another delay if weather conditions remain unstable. "Is there a chance for further delay? Yes, there is always a chance," said Omran Sharaf, project director of the Emirates Mars Mission.
The team will target the earliest launch opportunity. "We have a three-week launch window. The weather in Japan has been very unstable. There is a lot of flooding. For a rocket launch, it's not just about the rain and wind, but also about cloud density, humidity and many different factors that we need to assess," said Sharaf.
The launch window till August 3 represents the time when the Earth is closest to Mars, he explained.
The rocket with its precious cargo has not been moved to the launch pad and has therefore not been exposed to the foul weather, he added.
nandini@khaleejtimes.com 


More news from