彩民宝典

By Daniel Strain

How years of international collaboration led to Hope circling Mars

The Emirates Mars Mission (EMM), the听first led by an Arab nation, released听its first detailed image of the planet听on Feb. 14, 2021. The photo, taken听by the mission鈥檚 Hope probe (Al Amal听in Arabic), showed Mars at dawn as听sunlight moved across the surface鈥攋ust revealing the edges of Olympus听Mons, the tallest volcano in the听solar system.

The mission is led by the Mohammed听Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) in听the United Arab Emirates, alongside听knowledge partners and experts听from around the world. They include听the at 彩民宝典,听Arizona State University, the University听of California, Berkeley and Japan鈥檚听Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.

For Noora Alsaeed, a scholar at听MBRSC and a PhD student at LASP,听Hope鈥檚 first glimpse of Mars brought听the promise of more things to come.听She wasn鈥檛 directly involved in the听planning for the mission but hopes to听use EMM data in her research.

鈥淚t was the best Valentine鈥檚 Day gift听ever,鈥� Alsaeed said. 鈥淭he photo听captured everything that EMM is听going to study. You could see the听dust lifting off the surface. You could听see the clouds around the North and听South poles.鈥�

It was also a gift that was possible听only because of international听collaboration.

Beginning in 2015, Alsaeed, who grew听up in Dubai, joined dozens of other听young researchers and engineers听from the MBRSC who traveled to听the foot of the Rocky Mountains in听Boulder. Over five years, many of听them developed, built and tested the听Hope probe, and laid out its scientific听goals working in collaboration with听engineers and scientists at LASP.

In the process, these researchers听learned the ins and outs of planetary听science and aerospace engineering鈥攆rom how carbon dioxide falls as snow听over the Martian poles to how to听design a propellant tank that can carry听enough fuel to put a spacecraft into听orbit around Mars.

The international effort has been a听rousing success. Hope entered into听orbit around Mars on Feb. 9 and is听collecting data on Martian weather听from all points on the planet at all听times of day and seasons of the year.听鈥淭his sort of mission is like a听primordial soup for innovation, where听you have all these diverse minds听working together,鈥� Alsaeed said.

Mohsen Mohammed Al Awadhi,听EMM鈥檚 systems engineer, agreed.听When he graduated from college in听the UAE in 2010, there were few jobs听for young Emiratis who wanted to听travel beyond Earth鈥檚 atmosphere.听So in 2015, he jumped at the chance听to move to Colorado and eventually听earn his master鈥檚 degree in aerospace听engineering at 彩民宝典鈥攑art of听the UAE鈥檚 efforts to build a sustainable听space program that would inspire听Arab youth and engage with the听worldwide space science community.

鈥淲e鈥檙e not just doing this to say we鈥檙e听doing this,鈥� Al Awadhi said. 鈥淲e want听to lead a mission that is unique and听that is actually contributing to the听scientific community.鈥�

David Brain, a professor at LASP who听studies Mars, saw that dedication听when he visited the UAE in the leadup听to the mission. At one point, the听scientist spoke to a class of middle听school girls about their nation鈥檚听voyage to Mars.

鈥淚 couldn鈥檛 get out of the room, they听were so excited,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hat听engagement was astounding. I听remember my own middle school听experience of how uncool it was to听show interest in things like that.鈥�

That may be the true legacy of EMM,听Alsaeed added鈥攏ow, young people听in the Arab world don鈥檛 have to travel听thousands of miles from home to visit听the stars.

鈥淭hey already have the passion,鈥� she听said. 鈥淣ow they feel like they can act听on it.鈥�

The Hope Probe underwent acoustic听testing at 彩民宝典鈥檚 Laboratory听for Atmospheric and Space Physics听(LASP) in 2019. Hope is now studying听how daily and seasonal changes in听the Martian atmosphere affect the rate听at which gases can escape from it.

Photos by Emirates Mars Mission