The spacecraft is set to arrive at Mars in 2021 to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the founding of the UAE.
The rocket must blast off from Earth during a brief “launch window” in July 2020. This is because the Earth and Mars orbit the Sun at different rates, and are aligned at their closest point only once every two years. If any part of the mission is not ready in time or fails at the last minute, there may be no second chance.
KhalifaSat, the first satellite fully built in the UAE by a team of Emirati engineers, will be fired into orbit before the end of the year.
Dr Mohamed Nasser Al Ahbabi, director-general of the UAE Space Agency, said the satellite will be launched from the ground station in Japan aboard the rocket, H-IIA.
"The UAE Space Agency is planning to launch another satellite dedicated to educational and research purposes in the coming few months," he also revealed in an interview with state news agency WAM.
Once these launches are completed, the UAE will have 10 multi-purpose satellites, raising the UAE investment in the space sector to AED22 billion, he added.
"KhalifaSat marks a critical milestone in the nature and form of the UAE's investment in the space industry. KhalifaSat is a source of inspiration for Emirati generations because it is the first satellite to be fully manufactured in the UAE. It is considered one of the first productions of the advanced technology industry in the UAE. KhalifaSat will usher the UAE into the space manufacturing sector," he told WAM..
FUTURE IS NEAR ;)
