PanOrient News | Mitsubishi: Emirati Hope Probe to be launched to Mars on the morning of July 20

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Mitsubishi: Emirati Hope Probe to be launched to Mars on the morning of July 20

Friday, July 17, 2020

By Khaldon Azhari
TOKYO - PanOrient News/ Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. (MHI) officially announced today a new date for the launch of the H-IIA 42 (H-IIA F42) rocket carrying the Emirates Mars Mission’s Hope Probe, developed at the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Center in the United Arab Emirates.

The company said in a statement on its website that the updated launch has been scheduled for 14 seconds past 6:58 a.m. on Monday, July 20, Japan time

The company statement noted that there is a possibility for further delays depending on the latest weather forecasts.

The ideal window for the launch is between July 21 and August 13 of this year, when the distance between Earth and Mars is at its shortest.

The company added that it will analyze the weather data every day to ensure that there are no rainstorms, thunderstorms or cumulus clouds at high altitudes that would pose a severe danger to the missiles, as the formation of electrical circuits could affect their electronic devices. Another risk is the formation of ice layers on the surface of the missile, which could occur if steam carried by clouds condenses on the missile’s cool body due to the frozen fuel.

Sources told PanOrient News that they heard "unprecedented" thunder on Thursday as some rain fell on Tanagashima Island, where the rocket will launch from a Japanese space center.

An Emirati delegation went to the island on July 14 headed by Minister of Science and Advanced Technology Sarah Al Amiri to attend the launch, which was supposed to take place on July 15, but was postponed due to bad weather conditions. (PanOrient News)