On Jan. 5, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, and the Ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid signed a piece of the Hope Probe, the first UAE or Arab-built satellite that will be sent on a mission to Mars this summer with the goal of gathering information about the Red Planet’s atmosphere.

The two leaders wrote a message on part of the outer casing of the probe, saying “the power of hope shortens the distance between the Earth and sky” in Arabic.

The exact launch date of the probe is not yet set, but it is expected to be sometime in July to coincide with the time at which Earth and Mars will be at their closest point and the probe is set to reach orbit around Mars in early 2021 — just in time to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the UAE. The launch site will be the Tanegashima Space Center in Japan.

According to the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Center, the aim of the Emirates Mars Mission is to “draw a clear and comprehensive picture of the Martian climate, which will give scientists deeper insight into the past and future of our own planet as well as the potential of life for humans on Mars and on other distant planets”.

The design and construction of the Hope Probe were pioneered by Emirati engineers in partnership with other space agencies, as well as experts from institutions including the University of Colorado Boulder, University of California, Berkley and Arizona State University. The final touches are being added by a team of 75 Emirati engineers, who are spearheading the Hope Probe and Astronaut Program as a means of promoting the space sector in the UAE and training the new generation of local scientists and engineers for future projects.

Yousuf Al Shaibani, the director of the center, expressed pride at the signing of the probe, citing its strong reaffirmation of UAE national pride.

“On this day, a new dream is fulfilled on the ground. We will renew our efforts to raise the UAE’s name while relying on young Emirati talents to contribute strongly to fulfilling the aspirations of our country’s leadership and to the enrichment of humanity,” said Al Shaibani.