Abu Dhabi: The UAE’s Mars Hope mission will have far-reaching positive implications for the country and region once completed, particularly in creating new and innovative technological solutions, said an official from the Mohammad Bin Rashid Space Centre in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday.
Ebrahim Al Qasimi, the strategic research manager at the space centre, was speaking at a discussion hosted by New York University Abu Dhabi and chaired by Emirati social commentator Sultan Sooud Al Qassemi.
The discussion focused on why the UAE decided to undertake such a major challenge of going into space and sending a probe to Mars.
“The project for us in the UAE has its own objectives and meanings. In relation to its symbolism, the government of the UAE said the name of the mission, which is hope, is in fact a hope for the whole region and a hope for the youth of the region which is going through a very difficult period,” said Ebrahim.
“We decided to adopt a positive view that will enrich human knowledge. Our relationship with space goes back a long time when the Arabs used to be very productive in astronomy, with some stars even having Arabic names,” he added.
When asked to respond to the pessimists who might hold a view that resources could be spent elsewhere rather than going into space, Ebrahim said the resources and money being put into the project would have major tangible benefits for society.
“I cannot speak about the financial details of the project, but yes it is one of the most expensive ones that we are undertaking. Hundreds of technologies that were originally designed for space technology were later used by society so this will be a boost for the country,” he explained.
“The Hope mission will be very important for the whole region, so it is our role to take the lead and to convey this important knowledge that we are investing for the future,” he added.
