Dubai: Marhaba, Mars! History will be made today. Hope Probe, the first Arab interplanetary mission, is expected to enter Mars orbit at 7.42pm (UAE time). The UAE is on course to become only the fifth country or entity in the world to reach the Red Planet, and the third country to achieve the feat on first attempt.

The spacecraft represents a new Hope – it carries with it the dreams and aspirations of around half a billion people in the Arab world. Today is the culmination of more than five million working hours by over 200 Emirati engineers who collaborated with scientists, engineers and experts around the world in creating an orbiter that will provide the most comprehensive and detailed picture of the Martian atmosphere. Today is also a celebration for a young country celebrating its Golden Jubilee.

The Arab and Islamic scholars of yesteryears have birthed modern astronomy by systematically studying the skies and observing the curious movements of cosmos and planetary objects. A new dawn in Arab space exploration is happening with Hope Probe mission.

Gulf News is on the ground to share incisive live updates on Hope Probe’s Mars orbit insertion. We will provide colour commentaries, important details and share the guarded optimism and excitement of the people behind the mission. Stay tuned and be updated as we can finally say: Marhaba, Mars!