UAE extends Emirates Mars Mission until 2028

The UAE has extended the Emirates Mars Mission until 2028, Dr Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi, Chairman of UAE Space Agency, confirmed during a press conference on Tuesday.

The three-year extension will allow researchers to collect additional data and focus on understanding the connection between Mars’ lower and upper atmospheres, which is understood to be "more complex" than initially anticipated.

So far, a rare comet from outside of our solar system has been spotted and studied, as well as a series of new data from Mars' smaller moon, Deimos, captured using the probe's three scientific instruments at a unique distance of approximately 100 kilometers.

Dr Ahmad has revealed that the information gathered has "exceeded expectations" as one of the most accurate and developed probes across Mars, described as "the first of its kind".

With the probe in "good shape" it is hoped it can inspire more revelations on Mars and other surrounding planets and moons for years to come.

He continued: "When we started this mission, the initial goal was to send one terabyte of data. Today, we have exceeded that target tenfold, delivering more than 10 terabytes of high-quality scientific data."

The impact has also been seen in other areas with a 31 per cent increase in students enrolling in Stem programs (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) in just four years, with Dr Ahmad suggesting it will promote the UAE's "scientific capabilities on a national scale" and can "benefit the entire region, not just the UAE."

The Hope Probe went into orbit on February 9, 2021, becoming the first Arab country to reach the Mars orbit.

At the time, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, had highlighted that "more than five million working hours by over 200 Emirati male and female engineers. Our goal is to give hope to all Arabs that we are capable of competing with the rest of the world".

The aim of the mission is to study the planet’s daily and seasonal weather cycles, providing the first complete picture of the Martian atmosphere and building a catalogue of recorded weather types, including dust storms.

The Hope Probe has a mass of 1,350kg and is around 8 feet wide and 10 feet long, about the same size as a small car.