UAE’s space ventures fly in the face of the pandemic

2020 may be the year of the coronavirus, where a single disease revamped the thinking of the whole planet, hurtling millions into an abysmal world of sudden gloom and doom totally beyond their control. Truly, it has been quite a year like no other, leaving an unprecedented trail of deaths which number millions in its wake.

It grounded airlines whose future lay, and still is, up in the air; travellers used to constant movement were forced to stay put in one place; entertainment was chucked out of the window as doors were barred for moviegoers. The corridors of knowledge in the form of schools and colleges were shut; even the hallowed portals of places of worship were at one stage out of bounds for the faithful. It seemed as if Providence were pouring wrath on an utterly ruthless mankind notorious for flagrant breach of rules.

However, even amid the wide, wide, sea of despondency and disaster, there were rays of optimism. And one field that showed remarkable activity in these distressing times was the space sector, which has provided some respite from the worries over the virus.

Astronauts blasted into orbit from the US for the first time in nearly a decade while robotic explorers grabbed rocks from the moon and gravel from an asteroid for return to Earth.

It promises to do the same in 2021, with February’s landings at Mars and next fall’s planned launch of the Hubble Space Telescope’s successor – the next-generation James Webb Space Telescope. Elon Musk’s SpaceX became the first private company to put people into orbit, an achievement previously claimed by just three global superpowers.

China also set its sights on the moon in 2020, landing and then launching off the lunar surface in December with the first moon rocks collected for return to Earth since the 1970s. Japan brought back pieces of asteroid Ryugu– its second asteroid batch in a decade.

Although the coronavirus pandemic complicated space operations around the globe in 2020, most high-priority missions remained on track, led by the US, China and the United Arab Emirates in a ‘race’ to Mars.

The UAE’s first interplanetary spacecraft, an orbiter, will scrutinise the Martian atmosphere.

The Emirates Mars Mission (EMM) is a shining example of innovation, adventurism and futuristic endeavour, the likes of which have never seen before. The UAE has pioneered the Arab world’s first interplanetary mission, much to the delight of not just thousands of expectant Emiratis, but the region as well.

The Hope Probe, which was launched on July 20 this year, is slated to reach its planned orbit around Mars on February 9, 2021.

Truly it is the culmination of a 50-year journey, which began in 1971. It also marks the beginning of another 50 years that will bring about major achievements based in the fields of science, knowledge and innovation.

As His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, said, “The Emirates Mars Mission’s Hope Probe has succeeded in instilling a new culture in the hearts and minds of this nation’s men and women; a culture that prioritises science in shaping our future and reiterates our nation’s limitless ambitions after successfully entering space. We have become the first Arab country to succeed in exploring a planet, and our nation joins an exclusive group of only seven countries that have explored Mars.”

It should be noted that the European and Russian space agencies skipped the 2020 Mars launch window, their life-sniffing Mars rover grounded until 2022 because of technical issues and COVID-19 restrictions.

The UAE is not deterred by obstacles. Yes, the word ‘impossible’ may be a part of a title of blockbuster Hollywood movies, but Emirati ethos has banned the word.