'Hope' floats over Mars, celebrations erupt in UAE

The United Arab Emirates became the fifth space agency to enter the Martian orbit when Amal, Arabic for Hope, successfully entered the Red Planet's orbit on its first attempt.

Mission Project Manager Omran Sharaf confirmed the Mars orbit insertion.

Hope survived a 27-minute deceleration burn for the Mars orbital insertion, which saw it carrying out a series of manoeuvres and engine firings to reducing its speed to 18,000kmph from more than 121,000kmph.

Hope will move into a science orbit from where it will study atmospheric conditions on the planet. It is expected to complete one scientific orbit every 55 hours. 

Two more missions, US space agency NASA's Perseverance rover and China's Tianwen-1, will also arrive at the planet later this month.

Back on Earth, iconic structures across the UAE, including the world's tallest building Burj Khalifa, were illuminated after Hope's orbital entry.

Stating that this was the farthest point in the universe to be reached by Arabs ever, Dubai's ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum said that the mission's goal is to give hope to all Arabs that we are capable of competing with the rest of the world.

Dubai's Deputy Ruler Maktoum Bin Mohammed took to Twitter to say, "A journey that began from the desert dunes is now embracing space. This is a nation whose leaders believed & invested in a generation that today led us to Mars. A new chapter is born, bringing Arabs to the forefront of science and innovation." 

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