Dubai - All eyes have been on the UAE's Mars Hope Probe over the last few weeks, as it prepares to blast off into space.
Published: Sun 19 Jul 2020, 6:00 PM
Last updated: Mon 20 Jul 2020, 6:49 AM
What's in a name?
Everything, if you're going by the UAE's historic interplanetary mission that is all set to launch a spacecraft orbiter to Mars in less than eight hours.
Read on: UAE leaders laud Mars team's hard work to make launch happen amid Covid-19
All eyes have been on the UAE's Mars Hope Probe over the last few weeks, as it prepares to blast off into space in order to study the Red Planet's atmosphere and climate like never before.
Video: UAE police patrols celebrate Hope with Mars mission logo
Now, the big moment is almost here - and there is just one word on everyone's lips: hope.
Open call
While the mission was first conceptualised in 2014, the unmanned probe's name was only announced a year later - the result of an open call by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.
UAE's Hope Probe: Key data on Al Amal and its journey to Mars
In a true representation of the collaborative efforts that have gone into the Mars mission, Sheikh Mohammed invited the Arab world to submit suggestions for the probe's name in a public campaign.
The orbiter's name was then announced in a Google+ post, where Sheikh Mohammed wrote: "After thousands of suggestions for the name of [the] Mars probe, we decided to name the probe 'Hope' as it sends a message of optimism to millions of young Arabs. Arab civilisation once played a great role in contributing to human knowledge, and will play that role again."
He added that the Emirates Mars Mission proves that "nothing is impossible", and that Arabs can compete with the "greatest of nations in the race for knowledge".
The Dubai Ruler also offered his thanks to everyone who participated in the historic project to send the first Arab probe to Mars. "Everyone who took part is a partner in this mission," he said.
Inspiration gone viral
Last week, a video showing a hologram of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan talking about hope went viral.
The country's beloved founder was known for his ambition to reach space.
In the video, he could be seen saying, "History records, eyes of people see, and minds know the difference. Work for hope, because hope is the actual value of humans."
Commenting on the video, Sheikh Mohammed added, "We don't recognise the word 'impossible, and that is why we chose the name Hope Probe."
The Hope Probe is scheduled to take off on July 20, at 01.58am UAE time, from Japan's Tanegashima Space Centre.
karen@khaleejtimes.com
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