hamdan bin mohammed - Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre

Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre Magazine
ISSUE 2 September 2015
Inspired by Space Science and Technology
HAMDAN BIN MOHAMMED
The new Chairman of MBRSC tours the centre
and announces a 15-year strategic plan for
development
HAMAD AL MANSOURI
The Chairman of the Board talks about
MBRSC’s role in the knowledge-based economy
PROFESSOR MELIKECHI
The renowned Arab scientist on NASA‘s efforts
to explore Mars
A NEW EARTH
Astronomers discover Kepler-452b, the most
Earth-like planet ever found
3
Governments that set an example for innovation have the power to
implant a nationwide culture of creativity. When such a culture takes root,
people feel inspired to run further with their ideas, to aim higher with
their ambitions and to pursue bigger dreams.
CONTENTS
Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre Magazine
ISSUE 2 September 2015
Inspired by Space Science and Technology
HAMDAN BIN MOHAMMED
The new Chairman of MBRSC tours the
centre and announces a 15-year strategic
plan for development
HAMAD AL MANSOURI
The Chairman of the Board talks
about MBRSC’s role in the knowledgebased economy
PROFESSOR MELIKECHI
The renowned Arab scientist on NASA‘s
efforts to explore Mars
A NEW EARTH
Astronomers discover Kepler-452b, the
most Earth-like planet ever found
A magazine specialised in space science
and technology, issued bi-monthly and
produced on behalf of the Mohammed bin
Rashid Space Centre.
Discover
General Supervisor
Yousuf Hamad Al Shaibani
Director General
5
Editorial - Yousef Hamad Al Shaibani
6
Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum
installed as the Chairman of the MBRSC
8
Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum works to develop a
strategic plan for the MBRSC
[email protected]
Managing Editor
Mona Al Qemzi
Assistant Director General for
Financial and Administrative Affairs
Editorial Secretary
Saeed Al-Emadi
13 Hamad Obaid Al Mansouri, Chairman MBRSC
Inspire
16 Omran Sharaf, Emirates Mars Mission Project Manager
Media and External Communication officer
18 NASA discovers new Earth
Editorial and design
20 New Horizons, new discoveries
22 International Space News
Editorial Board
Amani Abuseedo
Dan Charter
Nicole Rehbane
Dua Al Shafey
26 Noureddine Melikechi
29 Abdul Kalam
Motivate
30 NASA trip inspires Emiratis to pursue a career in space
32 The 10 most iconic images from human space endeavour
38 The story of the first Arab in space
Design and production
Sree E S
41 Frank-Uwe Ungerer - DHL
To contact the magazine:
MBRSC: +971 4 6071200
7G Media: +971 4 449 5427
[email protected]
[email protected]
44 The greatest spacecraft of all time
48 Mars One – A new civilisation on Mars in under 15 years?
Intermission
50 Editorial - Mona Al Qamzi
All information provided in Majarat is provided
for information purposes only. Although every
reasonable effort is made to present current
and accurate information, Majarat makes no
guarantees of any kind and cannot be held liable
for any outdated or incorrect information.
Copyright 2015. All Rights Reserved
Printed by
Emirates Printing Press
ISSUE 02
5
EDITORIAL
Words from the Director General
Taking successful
steps on
our journey
If there is no struggle, there is no progress and no success… Hoping to come up with new ideas and
succeed without exerting effort and taking risks is an unachievable dream, a dream that will never see the
light of the day, and a dream that cannot build institutions and cannot achieve development. Those who sit
back and look aimlessly at the opportunities end up missing the train and fail to continue their journey. We
must take risks and embrace challenges based on vision, creativity and innovation.
The best way to face challenges and devise a distinguished idea is to come up with many different ideas
initially. This is a feature that characterises ambitious and inspiring institutions that believe in the existence
of opportunities, nourishing optimism, attracting innovators and spreading creative and positive energy.
These are the lessons we have learned at the Mohammed bin Rashid School for leadership, and have
acquired at the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) since its inception, and previously in the
Emirates Institution for Advanced Science and Technology (EIAST) since 2006. We continue to carry these
lessons with us throughout our journey towards promoting scientific innovation and technical progress in
the UAE. We are in the year which our government has declared as the Year of Innovation, during which
the government continues the implementation of its plan directed towards the development of education,
the inclusion of technology in schools and the focus on teaching science, engineering and mathematics.
We are optimistic about achieving our goal, which is to establish an infrastructure for space science by
launching specialised scientific and knowledge-based programs, as well as pushing innovation forward
and making use of its applications in all development programs.
The UAE is currently seeing the development of qualified institutions that are capable of developing the
next generation of national engineers, experts and scientists in the fields of advanced technology and
space engineering, through continuous training programs and the transfer of knowledge. They also offer
grants for advanced academic studies, scientific research, knowledge and expertise, and practical training
in testing and production facilities, as well as in the fields of spacecraft and satellite launch.
The appointment of Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid as Chairman and General Supervisor
of all projects at MBRSC and its strategic and development plans reflects the leadership’s approach
in providing its support to the fullest, as well as financing and sponsoring projects like the Hope Probe
mission to explore the Red Planet.
Join us to work on the most ambitious national scientific projects
An inspiring work environment based on training and career development
The presence of HH Hamdan Bin Mohammed in all national working fields and as Chairman of MBRSC,
his long-term vision and his motivational actions to push forward development, quality and excellence, is
a motivation and inspiration to keep us going on our ambitious journey.
At MBRSC, we are embarking upon a national, inspirational journey abound with ambitious scientific
projects that will serve as a beacon of scientific progress in space science in the UAE and the Arab world.
These projects offer unmatched career opportunities for ambitious and talented Emirati engineers,
administrative and technical staff, allowing them to participate in the implementation of these projects and
contribute to shaping the promising future of the UAE.
Yousuf Hamad Al Shaibani
Director General
Become a source of national pride.
Apply via e-mail: [email protected] or visit www.mbrsc.ae for more information.
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UAE Space News
Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed
installed as the Chairman of MBRSC
A decree issued by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid has
appointed Sheikh Hamdan as the Chairman of MBRSC, as he
issued a law to establish the centre, to appoint its Board of
Directors and to determine its specialisations.
Ground control satellites swing into motion at the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre
dedicated to manufacturing satellites in the
country, so as to utilise their application in
all development sectors.
“The centre will be responsible for
initiating a national core of knowledge in
space science, promoting innovation in
this field, and the launching of scientific
and educational programs in collaboration
with specialised international bodies. It will
further promote scientific development and
innovation in space science in the country.
The centre will also fund research and
innovation projects related to space.
In his capacity as Ruler of Dubai, Vice
President and Prime Minister of UAE His
Highness Sheikh Mohammed issued a
decree appointing Sheikh Hamdan, Crown
Prince of Dubai, as Chairman and general
supervisor of all the centre’s projects
and its strategic and development plans.
HH also issued a decree to appoint the
centre’s Board of Directors, to determine its
ISSUE 02
The centre’s establishment
decree in full
will support the country’s ongoing efforts
in the field of space, and will supervise
the design, manufacturing and launch of
Al Amal, or Hope, the Arab world’s first
Mars probe.
“Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al
Maktoum has issued a law establishing the
Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre, which
Additionally, the Mohammed bin Rashid
Space Centre will serve as a platform
to provide an integrated infrastructure
specialisations in a way so as to support the
UAE’s vision in the space sector.
“The centre will be serving vital development
sectors in the country through utilising the
best international practices and applications
in advanced space technologies. In order to
accomplish its objectives, the centre will
have the right to establish technological
companies, invest in satellite projects,
launch space projects and fund spacerelated research and activities. It will
coordinate with the government, regional
and global bodies and hold specialised
conferences as well as develop regional and
global networks in the field of science and
the application of space technologies.”
Sheikh Mohammed also issued a law
joining the Emirates Institution for Advanced
Science and Technology (EIAST) with the
centre, and thus EIAST is now to be under
the umbrella of the Mohammed bin Rashid
Space Centre, and will be considered
one of its affiliated institutions. The law
further appoints a CEO to EIAST, who will
implement and follow-up the policies, plans
and programs set by the Mohammed bin
Rashid Space Centre.
Board of Directors appointment
Sheikh Mohammed also issued a resolution
appointing Hamad Obaid Al Sheikh Al
Mansouri as Chairman of the Board of
Directors at the centre, Yousef Ahmed Al
Shaibani as Vice Chairman, in addition to
Mansour Abdullah Bastaki, Mohammed Saif
Al Miqbali and Mansoor Juma Bu Osaiba as
members of the Board of Directors at the
Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre.
The board will set the general policies,
development and strategic plans, approve
and assess programs, follow-up the
Executive Authority’s performance, approve
the organisational structure and the annual
budget and drive all authorities and powers
towards achieving its objectives.
The centre will have a Director General
who will be appointed by a resolution from
the Chairman. The Director General will
be responsible for proposing policies,
preparing work plans, programs and the
organisational structure as well as all
decisions on technical, administrative and
financial aspects related to the centre. He
will also prepare the annual budget, followup the implementation of all the resolutions
approved by the board and oversee the
organisational units of the centre, as well
as prepare the annual follow-up reports
pertaining to the projects and programs
carried out by the centre.
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Hamdan bin Mohammed
works to develop a strategic
plan for MBRSC
Sheikh Hamdan reiterated that developments
carried out in the space sector provide added
value to the UAE’s various sectors, and to the
country’s international reputation.
“Our task now is to make sure that spacerelated knowledge is put to productive
use,” said Sheikh Hamdan addressing the
board members and the team of engineers,
scientists, researchers and administrative staff
during the meeting. He also highlighted the
importance of building an Emirati generation
that has the confidence and courage to enter
into competition with major countries in the
competitive field of space.
“You are the core and the bedrock of a
successful future with regard to the space
sector, as our country is moving toward
knowledge-based technologies,” said Sheikh
Hamdan. He added that the UAE, under the
leadership of UAE President His Highness
Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, will lead
the region in the space sector, noting that His
Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al
Maktoum wants the UAE to be at the forefront
of the world’s biggest countries in this field
before 2021.
In relation to the 15-year strategy, Sheikh
Hamdan emphasised the importance of
encompassing all existing and future projects
and programs undertaken by MBRSC within
the plan. He added that developing a satellite
system, expanding in space exploration, and
initiating scientific projects and research within
the country will be a priority in the immediate
future.
Sheikh Mohammed bin
Rashid Al Maktoum
wants the UAE to be
at the forefront of
the world’s biggest
countries in this field
before 2021.
Sheikh Hamdan was accompanied by
Sheikh Saeed bin Maktoum Al Maktoum,
Minister of Cabinet Affairs Mohammed
Abdullah Al Gergawi and Chairman of the
Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of
the UAE (TRA), Mohamad Ahmad Al-Qamzi.
His Highness was briefed on the Hope project,
the Arab world’s first Mars probe, as well as
other satellite projects such as DubaiSat-1
and DubaiSat-2, which at the time marked
a national milestone as they were the first
Remote Sensing satellites to be fully-owned
by a UAE entity.
Sheikh Hamdan listened to a detailed
presentation on KhalifaSat, the first satellite to
be fully built and manufactured by the hands
of competent UAE experts, due to be sent into
orbit by 2018.
The presentation shed light on other projects
carried out by MBRSC, such as CubeSAT and
Nayif-1, the first satellite designed to meet the
scientific research needs of Emirati students
at the American University of Sharjah.
During the visit, His Highness checked
the initial facilities for the manufacture of
satellites, which include the Clean Room
and laboratories that are allocated for
electrical and mechanical engineering. These
facilities were built and equipped according
to the highest international standards and
specifications, and constitute the first phase
of the laboratories that are being currently
Hamdan bin Mohammed on a tour of the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre
His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed
bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of
Dubai, Chairman of the Dubai Executive
Council and Chairman of the Mohammed bin
Rashid Space Centre, chaired the first meeting
in the centre located in Al Khawaneej, in the
presence of the Board of Directors and the
team. He was briefed on MBRSC’s projects,
programs and future plans, in particular the
“Hope” Probe mission to Mars.
Sheikh Hamdan has directed the centre to
ISSUE 02
Under the leadership
of His Highness Sheik
Khalifa bin Zayed Al
Nahyan, the UAE will be a
pioneer in the Arab region
in the space field.
work on a 15-year strategy based on the
development of knowledge, human resources,
the improvement of scientific and technological
innovation, the development of the centre’s
satellite systems, and the expansion of all
space exploration programs.
The strategy encompasses all space
projects and programs to be developed by
the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre,
in line with the UAE and His Highness Sheik
Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s vision
for the country to become among the leading
nations in the field of space by 2021.
In the conversation with MBRSC officials
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UAE Space News
constructed to be the infrastructure for the
manufacture of satellites in the UAE.
“Our task is to
transfer and
localise space
science knowledge,
and build Emirati
generations that
have the courage to
compete with the
major nations.”
Sheikh Hamdan was briefed about the
KhalifaSat project, and visited the ground
station to monitor and follow up on the
DubaiSat-1 and DubaiSat-2 missions, which
revolve around data review and exchange, as
well as satellite image analysis. The missions
also aim to provide satellite imagery services
and serve environmental and development
projects, urban planning, infrastructure and
applied scientific research in the UAE.
Hamdan bin Mohammed signing his lab overalls
After the tour, His Excellency Hamad Obaid Al
Mansouri, Chairman of the Board of Directors
at the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre,
said: “We take pride in the appointment of His
Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed
Al Maktoum as Chairman and General
Supervisor of all projects at the centre and its
strategic and development plans.
“We are confident that the leadership of His
Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al
Maktoum, along with the wise guidance and
vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed
bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President,
Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, in the
space sector will lead us to accomplish greater
things in space science and research to serve
the ambitious aspirations of establishing a
national economy based on knowledge and
innovation, in line with the UAE Vision 2021
and the National Innovation Strategy.”
Observing the scientists at work in the MBRSC labs
Hamdan bin Mohammed signs the decree
ISSUE 02
He added: “The centre will provide all the
initiatives, projects and programs that will
enhance the competitive component of the
space sector in the UAE, thus positioning
Dubai as a leading global hub for the science
and space industry. The centre will also
continue to work on its knowledge transfer
strategy through strategic partnerships, as
well as scientific and academic alliances that
open up promising opportunities to strengthen
local research capabilities, all of which form a
quality addition to the scientific, academic and
research community in the space sector.”
Al Mansouri concluded by saying: “The UAE
has taken large and steady steps in the
space, technology and satellite manufacturing
sectors. The development of a highly efficient
national nucleus of effort is at the core of
building a sustainable future for the space
sector, not only to serve all development
projects in the UAE, but also to enrich human
knowledge around the world.”
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UAE Space News
For his part, Yousef Al Shaibani, General
Director of the Mohammed bin Rashid Space
Centre explained that the plan directed by His
Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed
is of vital importance to improve innovation
in the work the centre carries out, and to
make Emirati dreams come true through the
knowledge gained from now until 2021, and
then 2030.
Learning some of the technical procedures in the labs
He also shed light on the visit of His Highness
Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed to the centre,
and the meetings that were held during which
HH was accurately briefed about the details
of the different projects MBRSC is involved
in. At the end of the meeting, HH directed
the centre to adopt creativity and innovation
in its long-term strategic planning, which
reflects the successful approach of the UAE
leadership as it strives to provide all the
success requirements of its vision.
Al Shaibani added that “All the employees and
teams at MBRSC were heartened by the visit
of His Highness the Chairman of the centre,
and the direct meetings with him. His visit
motivated us to continue our journey in the
pursuit of success and achievements until we
position the UAE among the most developed
countries in the field of space and advanced
technology.”
Meeting the team at MBRSC
Hamad Obaid Al Mansouri, Chairman of the Board of Directors at MBRSC:
MBRSC will play a leading role in the
UAE’s journey towards future success
In an interview with Majarat, His Excellency Hamad Al Mansouri sheds
light on the strategic paths for MBRSC after the affiliation of the Emirates
Institution for Advanced Science and Technology (EIAST) with the centre.
His Excellency Hamad Obaid Al Mansouri
leads the general policies and strategies of
MBRSC, through his position as the Chairman
of Board of Directors. He also plays a key
role in several national initiatives such as the
smart government, assuming the position of
Director General of the General Authority for
Regulating the Telecommunications Sector.
Majarat: What is the mission and role of
MBRSC in terms of making a positive change
locally and regionally in the coming period?
Hamad Al Mansouri: “The centre works
towards supporting and fulfilling government
directives in the space sector, as well as
establishing an integrated infrastructure for
satellite manufacturing within the UAE. The
centre is also responsible for overseeing the
design, manufacture and launch of the Hope
probe. The centre’s mission is to establish a
local scientific and technological renaissance
in the UAE and the Arab world, and to develop
human knowledge in science and scientific
discoveries.”
Majarat: What have been the centre’s
achievements during its first ten years?
Hamad Al Mansouri: “MBRSC has achieved
success in all the tasks entrusted to it, such
as the designing, building and launching of
two satellites that provide imagery to so many
global institutions. The centre offers many
services for a wide segment of customers,
and recently we finished building the initial
scientific laboratories in accordance with
the highest international standards, which
our engineers use in the completion of all
scientific projects.
Group photo with the new chairman
ISSUE 02
“Our teams are currently working on the
Hope probe project under the supervision of
the UAE Space Agency. Choosing the centre
to perform such a leading role reflects our
leaders’ confidence in the team, and we
will do our best to prove ourselves worthy
of this responsibility, especially since this
task was assigned to MBRSC based on its
broad expertise and knowledge, as well as
the success the centre has achieved in the
previous space projects.”
Majarat: As Chairman of MBRSC, His
Highness Sheikh Hamdan directed the centre
to develop a strategic plan, what is the centre’s
strategic plan for the next decade?
Hamad Al Mansouri: “Currently, we are
studying a number of scientific projects
targeted at enabling us to establish an
infrastructure for a knowledge-based
economy and advanced science. This stage
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will be formulated by 100% Emirati minds,
thus contributing to enhancing knowledge and
innovation, as well placing the UAE among the
leading developed countries in the space field.
“According to the strategic plan, which is
still under development, the centre will be
responsible for promoting innovation in
space science and launching scientific and
educational programs in collaboration with
specialised international entities. The centre
will also fund research and innovation projects
related to space.
“MBRSC will serve vital development sectors
in the country through utilising the best
international practices and applications in
advanced space technologies. In order to
accomplish its objectives, the centre will
have the right to establish new technological
companies, invest in satellite projects, launch
space projects and fund space-related
research and activities. It will coordinate with
the government, regional and global bodies
and hold specialised conferences, as well as
develop regional and global networks in the
field of science and the applications of space
technology.”
Majarat: Do you think the UAE is ready to enter
the global space exploration race? Are the
Arab scientific teams capable of competing
with countries that have accumulated a
wealth of knowledge and scientific discoveries
over the years?
Hamad Al Mansouri: “Our wise leadership
has identified the means to do this, which is
to develop national organisations of qualified
Emirati scientific teams and engineers who
will design and build the probe and monitor
its journey. The probe is scheduled to be
launched in 2021, in time for the UAE’s Golden
Jubilee, celebrating the 50th anniversary of
the formulation of the nation.
“The journey into space is not an easy task;
it’s a mission fraught with epic challenges,
but these challenges, as His Highness Sheikh
Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum said,
inspire us and motivate us. We are fully aware
that a journey of a thousand miles begins
with a single step, and the Hope probe is our
first step towards entering the global race to
explore Mars.
“His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid
ISSUE 02
UAE Space News
said, “Arab people can contribute to humanity
through great achievements, given the right
circumstances and ingredients. Our region
is a region of civilisation. Our destiny is, once
again, to explore, to create, to build and to
civilise.”
“At the centre we seek to build a national
research base, and develop specialised
teams through transferring knowledge from
international partners. We did this when
building DubaiSat-1 and DubaiSat-2, and we
will do the same for the Hope probe. The aim
is to build a scientific base and to develop the
UAE space sector to become a strategic sector
in the national economy, thus contributing to
the development of other sectors.”
We develop an
integrated vision for
distinguished and
unique projects to
strengthen the role
of space science
and research in the
national economy.
Majarat: What is the scientific payoff of
space science with regard to the social and
economic development?
Hamad Al Mansouri: “Space science is not
a scientific luxury driven by curiosity and a
thirst for knowledge. Space inventions have
always inspired humanity, and provided it
with a lot of inventions and innovations that
became part of our daily lives. The UAE
space programs constitute a quantum leap
in building an economy that is based on
knowledge and innovation, and they consist
of developmental and educational objectives.
Space science is an important part of all our
economic development projects, and it plays
a major role in raising the production levels
and standards in manufacturing countries
as they adopt the highest and most accurate
production standards. Space science also
encourages institutions and the educational
system to direct their educational process
and social development towards innovation
and creativity.”
Majarat: What is your role in the smart
government initiative, and what are the
challenges you face in order to provide hightech smart government services in the light of
the initiative launched by His Highness Sheikh
Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum?
Hamad Al Mansouri: “His Highness Sheikh
Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum has set
the ultimate objective of developing a smart
government. The transition for residents will
be from a satisfied customer to a happy one,
through a creative government that provides
services which exceed their expectations.
His Highness said: “Today, we want to take
government service centres to clients who
can submit their applications through a
mobile phone or any other mobile device
from any place without waiting. A successful
government is one which goes to clients
wherever they are and doesn’t wait for them
to come to it.” He added: “Our ambition in the
short term is to link smart services federally
and locally and to provide a single-window
system to the customer wherever he is and
whatever the service is, as the customer is
looking to us as one state and one integrated
work environment.”
“In this context and in order to achieve the
vision of His Highness within the specified
time frame, Dubai Smart Government, in
cooperation with the Ministry of Cabinet
Affairs and federal and local authorities,
formed a national work team concerned with
moving towards achieving those objectives.”
Majarat: What are the steps you have taken
regarding the smart government to link
government services federally and locally?
Hamad Al Mansouri: “First we analysed and
studied the behaviour of a smart customer,
and drafted a clearly defined two-year
roadmap including the transition path from
e-government to smart government. We also
developed the Electronic Federal Network,
which is the infrastructure that links between
various government departments and entities
locally and federally.
“We have also developed an electronic/smart
platform to assess the federal authorities’
progress in the application of smart
government enablers, as well as the Centre of
Digital Creativity of the UAE smart government
to be an integrated platform, offering a range
of services and solutions related to overseeing
the training of government employees.
Sheikh Mohammed announcing the establishment of the Smart Government two years ago.
“In addition to that, we provide consulting
services through a specialised team with
extensive experience in this area, and we
have implemented a smart government
training program aimed at strengthening the
smart government culture and improving
competencies and capabilities in this
vital area. This program is not limited to
government employees, but also IT students
and job seekers can benefit from it, through
involving them remotely in training courses.
“Furthermore, we have developed the smart
application lab that offers an integrated
platform through which various tests for the
verification of security and quality standards
of mobile applications are performed for
local and federal government and academic
entities. After completion of all tests, the
applications are then displayed on the official
UAE Government App Store, which is available
on the Apple App Store and Google Play.
cooperative work teams.
“Thus, the UAE government launched the
world’s first store for smart government
applications on various platforms. The
store features over 100 smart applications
developed by the UAE local and federal
agencies.”
“The human resources policy at the centre
helps employees achieve a work-life balance
and provides them with career advancement
opportunities. For my part, I believe that
continuous training and education, and the
transfer of knowledge to work teams are the
best ways to maximise employees’ capabilities
and develop their skills, thus preparing them
to take on new responsibilities.
Majarat: How do you develop and motivate
work teams? What are the aspects you
focus on to improve the performance and to
transform a vision into reality?
Hamad Al Mansouri: “We perform our
tasks in line with the quality and excellence
standards adopted by our wise leadership.
We focus on planning, promoting a sense of
belonging and creating a work environment
that encourages creativity and innovation,
as well as strengthening the relationship
between employees to build harmonious and
“Consequently, we can develop work teams
according to the highest scientific standards,
through continuous follow-up. We want to
enter a new phase of development depending
on a knowledge-based economy, and this can
be achieved through intellectual capital. Our
technical and administrative organisations
have proved that they are capable of achieving
highest levels of excellence and success…”
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with the scientific objectives of the project. When
we developed the initial design of the Hope
probe, we took into consideration these scientific
goals. Our team of scientists, engineers and
technicians joined hands to design the probe,
which will be equipped with smart devices
capable of accurate data collection. We ran a
number of brainstorming sessions between the
Hope probe team and our strategic partners,
which resulted in the initial design of the Hope
probe.”
Majarat: MBRSC has announced that at least
150 Emirati engineers are needed for the Hope
Probe project. How do you plan to find the UAE
scientific teams required?
Emirates Mars Mission Project Manager, Omran Sharaf:
MBRSC offers the best career
opportunities for Emirati innovators
Omran Sharaf shares with us some interesting information about the MBRSC Mars
Hope Probe, and the opportunities that have arisen because of the project.
Majarat: At MBRSC, you announced that the
objective of the project is to study the climate
conditions on the Red Planet. How was this
objective identified, and why?
Sharaf: “The scientific objectives of the UAE’s
Mars mission project were identified based on
studies and research carried out by the centre
in collaboration with our strategic partners. It’s
also based on recommendations from the global
scientific community, including MEPAG (Mars
Exploration Program Analysis Group), which is
specialised in the analysis of Mars exploration
programs.
“Usually, scientific institutions and research
centres suggest what they think would be
a scientific benefit that serves humanity in
general, fills a void in terms of information
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The Mars exploration
project embodies
educational objectives,
and I encourage Emirati
students to major in
scientific disciplines
and compliments other global efforts in the
exploration of outer space. The UAE’s scientific
contribution in this field aims to conduct a
comprehensive and detailed study of the climate
on the Red Planet. This study will be the first
of its kind and will result in more than 1,000
gigabytes of Mars data that will be shared with
research centres and institutions worldwide.”
Majarat: Are there any other objectives for the
UAE Mars mission?
Sharaf: “All space exploration projects have
parallel objectives that are just as important as
the scientific objectives. We have educational
objectives targeted at school and college
students, and all members of society through
the production and localisation of knowledge.
The project will also encourage research
and innovation related to space discoveries,
inventions and science. We hope to encourage
new generations to take an interest in scientific
disciplines as a result of the Mars project.”
Majarat: How did you develop the initial design
of the Hope probe?
Sharaf: “The spacecraft design must comply
Sharaf: “It is true that we will find ourselves in
the position of needing more scientific teams,
engineers and technicians as the project
progresses. Therefore, I encourage Emirati
students who have a passion for science and
technology to major in subjects such as physics,
mathematics, mechanical and electrical
engineering, chemistry, software, computer
science, and other scientific disciplines.
Employment opportunities are now available
at MBRSC for talented Emiratis with distinctive,
creative and innovative minds.
“This project aims to transfer, localise and
develop space science knowledge. We have
an agreement with our partners on that. The
experience that the team has gathered from
the manufacturing process performed on both
DubaiSat-1 and DubaiSat-2 will form the basis
of a strong foundation for us to be able to build
the Hope Probe and deliver the project within
the proposed timeframe, Insha’ Allah.”
project. We are proud of our students who
graduated from Emirati universities, and they
all have high scientific and academic standards.
Our universities have proven their capabilities
in meeting the need of technical sectors that
are more scientifically specialised. MBRSC will
employ the best Emirati science and research
talent in various disciplines, as well as the most
qualified technical teams.”
Majarat: The Emirates Mars project was
assigned to MBRSC by the country’s leadership,
what do you feel about this ambitious mission
and the challenges that you face? Has your
lifestyle been affected by the responsibility of
this mission?
Sharaf: “The declaration of His Highness Sheikh
Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan (may God protect
him) to establish the UAE Space Agency and the
Mars mission project marked the UAE’s entry
into the space age. The objective is to boost
development and develop scientific capabilities,
as well as to provide knowledge contributions
to mankind.
“Epic challenges inspire us and motivate us.”
This is the vision of HH Sheikh Mohammed
bin Rashid; a vision that carved the path
towards a bright future, and we are working
passionately and enthusiastically around the
clock to accomplish this vision. Experiences in
the UAE have taught us that the road towards
achieving progress and development is filled
with challenges. But at the same time, it’s
promising and prosperous and will certainly
contribute to shaping the future of our country.
We are proud and happy because the leadership
trusted us with such a mission.
“The team is working continuously to make
this project happen, and we realise the big
responsibilty that we have taken on here. We
look to Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid as a
source of inspiration to us, and he has always
given his continuous support to the centre in
all the projects we have undertaken. We are
committed to participating fully in making his
vision come to light.
“This project has become a major part of all our
lives. The team members travel in consecutive
trips based on a drawn plan, to meet with
partners and inform scientific research centres
in a number of leading universities about our
project, to hopefully coordinate with them. ”
Majarat: Could you tell us about your education
and the experience you have gained at MBRSC?
Sharaf: “I joined MBRSC in 2006 and was a
member of the team that developed DubaiSat-1,
DubaiSat-2 and KhalifaSat. I graduated from the
University of Virginia in the United States with
a Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering.
During my participation in developing DubaiSat-2
in 2013, I earned my Master’s degree in science
and technology policies from the Korea Institute
of Science and Technology in South Korea.”
Majarat: Is it mandatory that Emirati engineers
applying to work on the Hope probe mission hold
degrees from scientifically advanced foreign
countries, to ensure that they have a high level
scientific education?
Sharaf: “No! More than 95% of MBRSC’s
employees are graduates from UAE universities,
and a large number are currently developing
their academic and scientific programs in a
way to meet the needs of strategic projects,
especially the Emirates Mars project.
UAE universities continue to graduate
scientifically qualified engineers, technicians
and administrators with the necessary skills
required to work on the UAE Mars mission
Members of the Hope Probe team at work
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NASA discovers new Earth
DISCOVER
International Space News
The Kepler mission, a space observatory launched into
orbit by NASA in 2009, has discovered the first Earth-like
planet that exists within a “habitable zone”, meaning life
could well exist upon it.
takes just 5% longer than we do to completely
orbit our sun, which can be calculated, as it’s
5% farther from its sun than us.
John Grusfeld, as administrator of NASA’s
Science Mission Directorate had this to
say on the historic confirmation: “On the
20th anniversary year of the discovery that
proved other suns host planets, the Kepler
exoplanet explorer has discovered a planet
and star which most closely resemble the
Earth and our Sun, this exciting result brings
us one step closer to finding an Earth 2.0.”
While its mass and composition are not yet
confirmed, a planet this size would usually be
found to be rocky on the surface. Should all
the elements exists to make life a possibility,
it would seem very likely that, given the extra
1.5 billion years Kepler-452b has on us, life
would potentially be at a far more advanced
stage than we find ourselves at. The balance
for life to exist is multifarious and very fragile,
but Kepler-452b looks to be not only the best
candidate for life we have ever found, but in
actual fact, all the evidence gathered thus far
seems to make the existence of some kind of
life form as much of a certainty as it possibly
could be, considering it is located 1,400 lightyears away.
On the 20th anniversary
year of the discovery
that proved other suns
host planets, the Kepler
exoplanet explorer
has produced an exciting
result that brings
us one step closer to
finding an Earth 2.0.
And therein lies the problem. In all likelihood
the human race will never, ever make it to
Kepler-452b. The very idea of the planet lying
1,400 light years away may be difficult to
comprehend, but to put it into context, light
travels at 186,000 miles per second, which
is 5,865,696,000,000 miles in a year. Multiply
this by 1,400, and the numbers become far
more confusing.
But with current technology, it would take
roughly 33,000 years for us to reach Kepler452b. Perhaps with the additional experience
accumulated from the extra 1.5 billion years
they’ve been evolving for, the inhabitants of
Kepler-452b – if there are any - may well
be in a position to be able to get to Earth far
sooner than we would to them, but for now,
we must just stare at the skies and wonder…
An artist’s impression of Kepler-452b
A milestone has been reached in the human
race’s continuing quest to find life on another
planet, as NASA has confirmed the discovery
of Kepler-452b, a planet estimated to be
about 60% larger than Earth, and which takes
385 days to orbit its own Sun – Kepler-452.
“Earths cousin”, as Kepler-452b has been
labelled, is part of the Kepler-452 system,
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and was confirmed by a ground observation
team as a planet at the same time 11 other
potential planets were added to the list
of small habitable zone candidate planets,
which now features 4,696 planet candidates.
There are now 1,030 confirmed planets in
existence with the addition of Kepler-452b.
such excitement among scientists on Earth
The newly confirmed planet has caused
is 20% brighter and 10% larger. The planet
because it is in the habitable area of orbit
around its star, where liquid water could
pool on the surface. Its sun, Kepler-452,
is a G2-type star the same as ours, and is
estimated to be six billion years old, which
is 1.5 billion years older than our sun and it
Kepler-452b comes closest to any planet found so far to matching our Earth-sun system. These are the habitable-zone planets with similarities to Earth:
from left, Kepler-22b, Kepler-69c, the just announced Kepler-452b, Kepler-62f and Kepler-186f. Earth is last.
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DISCOVER
International Space News
DISCOVER
International Space News
The spacecraft then spent nearly nine hours
looking back at the planet taking pictures and
conducting a series of experiments to study its
atmosphere.
Pluto was for decades considered to be a
barren, icy world, but signs of geological activity
are very much apparent in some of the images
received so far, and there is also evidence of
current activity just under the surface in the
form of plate tectonics, or crust movements.
Flowing ice and a hazy atmosphere are two of
the most surprising and significant discoveries
that have come as a result of the flypast, but the
images and data have so far left more questions
than answers. It would also appear that a
mountain range whose formation dates back
only 100 million years, has uncovered a notion
once thought impossible for somewhere like
Pluto – that geological activity is clearly on-going,
but that it’s not as a result of heat created from
the gravitational pull of a larger planetary body.
Something else is causing Pluto’s surface to
change, and we don’t know what.
“We knew that a mission to Pluto would
bring some surprises, and now 10 days after
the closest approach we can say that our
expectations have been more than surpassed,”
New Horizons spacecraft
9 years and three billion miles
said John Grunsfeld, NASA’s associate
administrator for the Science Mission
Directorate. “With flowing ices, exotic surface
chemistry, mountain ranges, and vast haze,
Pluto is showing a diversity of planetary geology
that is truly thrilling.”
Flowing ice has only ever been found on
active surfaces, such as Earth and Mars, so to
discover something similar on a surface that
is on average -230°C in a world 4.67 billion
miles from our own, has been something of a
revelation to scientists. As one put it: “We’re
going to need some new ideas to figure out
what’s going on.”
July 2015: New
Horizons passed
within 6,000 miles
of the frozen
dwarf planet
An artist’s impression of New Horizons passing by Pluto
New Horizons, new discoveries
2007-2014: For most of
the eight-year trek from
Jupiter to Pluto, the craft
span slowly in a state of
“hibernation”
The New Horizons spacecraft has successfully survived a
flypast of former planet Pluto on the very edge of our Solar
System, and has sent back the most detailed images of the
mysterious dwarf planet we’ve ever seen.
NASA initially launched the New Horizons
mission nine years ago now, and its voyage
has since carried it more than three billion
miles, with speeds reaching in excess of 31,000
miles per hour. The spacecraft lay dormant
for much of its journey to the outer reaches
of our solar system, until all systems were
engaged in preparation for its day of destiny, a
close encounter with the most mysterious and
unknown former planet in the solar system.
Scientists actually know very little about Pluto,
a fact demonstrated by its downgrading from
a planet to a dwarf planet in 2006. This was
due to the discovery that it had not cleared its
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neighbouring region of objects of a similar size
during its orbit of the Sun. But our apparent lack
of access to in-depth knowledge, in comparison
with the eight remaining planets in the solar
system, has already changed forever.
New Horizons finally made contact with Earth
after an agonising 13-hour wait from the
time the flypast occurred, sparking rapturous
applause and celebrations in the mission
control centre at the John Hopkins University
Applied Physics Lab, outside Baltimore,
Maryland, USA.
In the lead up to the flypast, during and after
2014: Monitoring
began 200 days
before the closest
approach to Pluto
it, New Horizons transmitted a number of
stunning images of Pluto back to Earth, all
of which have given scientists a very different
understanding of the icy dwarf planet.
But as 99% of the data gathered by New Horizons
still remained aboard the craft, news that the
flypast was successfully traversed brought with
it a mixture of relief and delight. It will now
take more than 16 months for the thousands
of images and measurements taken during the
flypast to be transmitted back to Earth.
New Horizons came within 7,700 miles of Pluto,
and passed at an astonishing 31,000 mph.
Feb- Mar 2007: New
Horizons passed Jupiter
on Feb. 28, 2007
Jan – Feb 2006:
Launched from
Cape Canaveral,
Florida
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DISCOVER
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International Space News
International Space News
Virgin Galactic tragedy blamed on pilot error
NASA will take
astronauts to
an asteroid
Russian space sureveillance station reaches full capacity
NASA is in the process of developing the Space
Launch System (SLS) megarocket, which will
take astronauts to Mars and more distant
asteroids. The megarocket has a tentative
first launch target of sometime in 2018, and
will initially take unmanned spacecraft to preagreed targets at far higher speeds than ever
managed before.
An official investigation has concluded that the
deadly crash of a Virgin Galactic spacecraft in
California last year was caused by the co-pilot
unlocking the braking system earlier than he
should have.
According to the National Transportation Safety
Board (NTSB) and their investigation team,
there were no safeguards in place to be able to
guard against this error. The co-pilot died in the
accident, while the pilot was severely injured as
the spaceship broke apart in the Mojave Desert
during the test flight.
The co-pilot, named Michael Alsbury, is said to
have unlocked the feathering system that slows
down the spacecraft descent during re-entry. It
was this action which caused the SpaceShipTwo
rocket to break up, the NTSB concluded.
Virgin Galactic is owned British billionaire, Sir
Richard Branson, and his Virgin Group. They are
now building a new spacecraft to replace the 60ft
SpaceShipTwo. Virgin Galactic is set to become
the first commercial “spaceline”, and despite
the tragic circumstances surrounding the death
of one and serious injury of another experienced
pilot, Branson has vowed to continue with the
project.
Millionaires and celebrities are among the
first passengers to have already booked their
“spaceflight” once the Virgin enterprise does in
fact launch. Customers have been parting with
up to $250,000 for the two or three-hour journey
that will take them around 63 miles above the
Earth. Branson has also recently expressed his
desire to build the first Space Hotel.
With its extra load-bearing capabilities, the
SLS will enable deep-space exploration and
astronomy by having the capacity to carry
larger and heavier telescopes out of the
Earth’s atmosphere. NASA representatives
claim that SLS could even launch entire
space observatories, using the extra 20% of
The Russian Ministry of Defence has announced that Okno-M, a Russian-operated space
surveillance system based in Tajikistan, has now reached full capacity, and is performing at a
level four times more powerful than it had previously been doing.
Okno-M is an optoelectronic system that detects objects in space, and forms an integral part
of the Russian network of space surveillance stations. The upgrades will allow Okno-M to
automatically collate information on, and monitor space objects at a distance of up to 40,000km.
thrust in comparison with the Saturn V rocket,
which carried astronauts towards the moon
between 1966 and 1973.
Kimiya Yui becomes the 10th Japanese man in space
After a long delay, and much trepidation, Japanese astronaut Kimiya Yui has finally reached
the International Space Station (ISS), along with astronauts from the US and Russia. A Soyuz
spacecraft reached the ISS six hours after its launch from Kazakhstan, docking with the
station so as Yui, 45, commander Oleg Kononenko, 51, and Kjell Lindgren, 42, could begin
their mission.
Yui has a long-term stay ahead of him, and will have the task of carrying out a number of
experiments aboard the station during his five-month stay. The Japanese Prime Minister,
Shinzo Abe called Yui a “star of middle-agers” and wished him well on his voyage, while
more than 600 people gathered in his hometown of Kawalami to watch a public screening of
the launch. The spacecraft was initially scheduled for a launch in May, but was subsequently
delayed due to technical investigations relating to a failed launch attempt of a similar rocket the month before. Yui and his colleagues
from Russia and the US will be working to collect data that could eventually help a manned flight to Mars become a reality.
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DISCOVER
The station is only ever active at night, using sunlight reflected on the objects to gather the
information it requires. Okno-M has become fully automated and needs no human intervention
to run its systems. Since 1999 the station has detected and measured over 10 million objects in
space, monitored 560 spacecraft orbit insertions and recorded foreign spacecraft manoeuvres.
The station primarily monitors foreign satellites, and was, during the Cold War years, thought to
be a laser powered antimissile station, which it wasn’t.
Europe’s last Meteosat now under EUMETSAT control
EUMETSAT has assumed control of the Meteosat
Second Generation weather satellite, MSG-4 following
its successful launch in mid-July from the European
Spaceport in French Guiana.
The ESA managed the initial launch and Early Orbit
Phase (EOP), but now the satellite is in geostationary
orbit, and all components have been tested for
functionality, EUMETSAT will now begin commissioning
the satellite. The commissioning relates to a twomonth assessment, four months of imaging and
product testing, before permanent orbit storage for
on-going services. The first images have been beamed back to Earth already from the MSG-4’s SEVIRI
imager, and have confirmed that the launch and orbit had no ill-effects on the functionality of the
weather satellite.
THE ESA is a multi-faceted space agency, operating in the fields of Earth observation,
telecommunications, navigations and astronomy, while also contributing and collaborating in human
space exploration projects.
China to build
the biggest radio
telescope in the
world
China officials have announced the
Chinese space program will begin work
on developing and constructing the world’s
largest radio telescope. The huge dish will
be based in the Guizhou Province, and will
give China’s space program access to its
own data, independent of any collaboration
or reliance on international agencies.
Wu Xiangping, Director-general of the
Chinese Astronomical Society told the
Xinhua news agency that the Chinese
reliance on data from other space programs
has for a long time impeded the progress
of the Chinese space program, progress
which will now be able to move forward
independently.
The dish will have a perimeter of
approximately one mile, and will be
isolated in a mountainous area of the
region, meaning that there will be little or
no interference from surrounding towns
or cities. The Chinese hope to be able to
use the giant radio telescope to search
for intelligent life outside the galaxy, while
also trying to discover the story behind the
origins of the universe.
China further cemented its commitment to
space exploration by recently announcing its
intention to make the first human landing
on the far side of the moon by 2020, and has
also expressed an interest in collaborating
with the global International Space Station
programs, a move which has been blocked
by the US on the grounds of national
security concerns
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DISCOVER
DISCOVER
International Space News
International Space News
Smithsonian raises $550,000 to save Armstrong
space suit
Time has not been kind to the space suit of Neil
Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon, in the
46 years following one of the greatest exploits ever
carried out by a human.
The iconic space suit has slowly deteriorated
over the decades, despite being locked away in a
climate-controlled storage space. But a campaign
launched on the Kickstarter website – the world’s
largest funding platform for creative projects – in
collaboration with the Smithsonian Institute, has
ensured the preservation of this piece of history,
and will see it go back on display in the National
Air and Space Museum. More than $550,000 has
been pledged through the Kickstarter campaign,
surpassing the initial target of $500,000, meaning
the suit worn on the Apollo 11 mission will be able to
inspire a new generation of space enthusiasts, and
the generation after that.
European Space Agency
pursues the JUICE mission
The disaster came only weeks after SpaceX
had secured the certification required for
the US government to be able to operate
highly complex space launches, the like of
which have been earmarked for $25 billion in
government spending each year for the next
decade. SpaceX had previously been unable
The spacecraft will be manufactured in the
French city of Toulouse, with contributions and
support provided by other ESA member states
such as Japan and the US.
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Telemedicine opens up the world to expert advice and guidance. If no doctor is available
onsite, a telemedicine kit has been formulated to help diagnose whether the patient
needs a hospital in a big city. This kit includes a computer and satellite phone, as well as
an electrocardiogram, a digital camera and a microscope. This can then help forward the
relevant information to the nearest hospital who will be able to provide their feedback.
All aspects of the new telemedicine application has its roots in space technology, most notably exhibited by the satellite imagery which
was essential to the swift aid response used during the African Ebola outbreak. Telemedicine is now to be rolled out across Africa, and
is set to revolutionise health care for those in poverty across the world.
New rocket drive could get to the moon in four hours
A British-designed rocket, the EM Drive,
has been successfully tested and could
significantly speed up space travel, scientists
have revealed.
The rocket is powered by an electromagnetic
propulsion drive, which was developed by
British inventor Roger Shawyer almost
15 years ago. At that time he was widely
discredited and ridiculed as a fantasist
by scientists who thought the idea to be
“scientifically impossible” and “the stuff of
fairy tales”.
launched 96 missions in nine years with not a
single explosion.
to bid on these projects, but having won the right
to, the accident came at a most inopportune time
for them. This is further compounded by the fact
that their main rival in the marketplace ULA has
Telemedicine has its roots in NASA’s and the Soviet Union’s earliest space programs, as
the agencies had no idea exactly how their astronauts/cosmonauts might react to being
thrust through the Earth’s atmosphere into a void with no atmosphere at all. But now
it has already been implemented in French Guyana, according to the European Space
Policy Institute, and is helpful for a variety of cases.
The JUICE mission will be the pièce de résistance
of the ESA’s Cosmic Vision 2015-25 program, and
after the targeted launch in 2022, is expected to
arrive in the Jovian system in 2030. The mission
will focus on Jupiter and its magnetic, turbulent
atmosphere, while also investigating the moons
Ganymede, Europa and Callisto, all of which are
thought to be hiding giant oceans beneath their
icy exteriors.
The Smithsonian will address the gradual deterioration of the suit, and have extended the
funding project with the hope of being able to preserve the space suit worn by the first American
in space, Alan Shepard, in 1961.
The SpaceX CRS-7 mission to the International
Space Station (ISS) in July ended in disaster
as the rocket exploded just moments after its
launch at Cape Canaveral, destroying 4,000
pounds of supplies and a docking station for
ISS in the process.
Telemedicine was initially designed to overcome the distance between astronauts in need
of expert medical assistance and the hospitals that lay back on Earth, while they floated
through space. But now the telemed movement is finding its place in rural third world
areas of the world, where medical experts and first class facilities, are in short supply.
The European Space Agency (ESA) has penned
a deal worth $380 million with French company
Airbus Defense & Space, in the pursuit of seeing
the JUICE (JUpiter ICy moons Explorer) mission
to Jupiter and its moons, come to fruition in 2022.
Over 7,000 backers pledged money to cover the
costs of preserving Armstrong’s suit, and building
a special display case for it. It will now be the main
attraction in a special Smithsonian exhibition covering lunar exploration to mark the 50th
anniversary of the moon landing in 2019. The typical space suits designed at the time were made
primarily to protect astronauts and withstand the rigours of space travel. No attention was paid
to the idea of preserving the suits as an artefact 50 years down the line. As such, the delicate
polymers used in the suit’s design become unstable and break down as time goes by.
SpaceX gets reprieve
Space telemedicine becomes commonplace on Earth
But in what can only be described as a
reprieve, the US Air Force has referred to the
CRS-7 explosion as something of an anomaly,
and has not reneged on its agreement that
SpaceX are certified to be able undertake
missions of a far more high-spec nature in the
coming years. SpaceX has worked extremely
hard, led by Elon Musk, to try to work out what
went wrong, and with the resumption of their
launch program due this month, they will be
hoping that lightning doesn’t strike twice as
the spotlight rests firmly upon them.
The EM Drive was designed to produce thrust
using solar power. This power would generate,
or energise a number of microwaves that
move frantically within an enclosed chamber.
Theoretically, this means that the rocket could
keep on going infinitely, or until something
wears down, without the need for rocket fuel.
After a round of testing, scientists at NASA
have come forward and said that they believe
the EM Drive actually works, although they
can’t explain why. The drive defies one of the
core principles of physics – the conservation
of momentum. This fundamental concept
states that if something is propelled forward,
something must be pushed in the opposite
direction. By this principle, the forces at work
in the chamber should, by all accounts, cancel
each other out.
But just this week, Professor Martin Tajmar,
Chair for Space Systems at the Dresden
University of Technology in Germany, was
able to show that the EM Drive does indeed
produce thrust.
“Our test campaign cannot confirm or refute
the claims of the EM Drive but intends to
independently assess possible side effects in
the measurement methods used so far,” the
Professor announced.
“Nevertheless, we do observe thrust close to
the actual predictions after eliminating many
possible error sources that should warrant
further investigation into the phenomena. Our
measurements reveal thrusts as expected
from previous claims, after carefully studying
thermal and electromagnetic interferences. If
true, this could certainly revolutionise space
travel.”
The drive can produce a thrust several
thousand times more powerful than that of a
standard photon rocket, and would be able to
reach the moon in four hours, Mars in 70 days,
and Pluto in 18 months.
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INSPIRE
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Celebrating Human Endeavour
Celebrating Human Endeavour
“How to succeed?
Have a passion to seek to
understand the world around you”
Majarat speaks to one of the Arab world’s most revered
Professors, Noureddine Melikechi, on space, Mars, the UAE
and his ground-breaking work in Optical Science.
When it comes to the planet Mars, there
aren’t many as insightful and engaging in
their passion and knowledge of the subject
as Professor Melikechi, but he wasn’t always
destined to work on projects as fascinating as
space exploration. Born and raised in a small
town in Algeria, the largest country in the
Arab world, there was very little in terms of
an organised, government-funded education
system. Instead, knowledge acquirement
relied on the community pulling together to
educate their young. “My interest in space
exploration came relatively late in my life,” he
tells us.
“Although my beautiful little town had at
that time no high school, it had an awesome
community committed to education. I was
very interested in mathematics, physics, and
biology and had the pleasure and privilege of
having some of the best teachers one can ever
hope for. This enhanced my love for learning.”
After leaving Algeria to study a Masters and
PHD in the seaside city of Brighton, England,
and then working in a laboratory at the North-
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become a significant actor in space science
and technology, including navigation and
exploration.
“In my view, countries that adopt similar
approaches and work to identify areas of
science and technology will have a greater
chance of developing their economies. If
science exploration is within their means,
and they wish to contribute to space science, I
think they will find it rewarding because space
science inspires and excites people.”
While some still see the quest for new
technology and new achievements in space
as a competition in the mould of the US/
Russian Cold War-influenced space race,
Professor Melikechi sees that ideology as
really rather outdated now. “I do not see
current or new players in the space science
area as challengers but rather as new
partners for global collaboration. I hope that
with time, we will see other countries, such
as the UAE, partner with each other and the
United States to use space to solve global
issues such as monitoring the health of our
Professor Noureddine Melikechi is part of
the team working on NASA’s next mission
to Mars, which is set to be launched in 2020.
He is also a professor of physics, and is the
Dean of the College of Mathematics, Natural
Sciences and Technology at the University of
Delaware in the United States.
“As with many children, I looked at the sky
and wanted to know and understand what
was there. Was anyone there? However, I
did not have the opportunity to explore these
questions to the depth required, as I grew up
in a town that had very little to offer in terms
of space science.
INSPIRE
planet and its surroundings.
“Space exploration has the potential to help us
better understand the world that we live in and
ultimately ourselves. In addition, programs
in space science and technology can inspire
new generations and can create opportunities
and an environment for the development of
new technologies. These programs require
a multidisciplinary approach that brings
together scientists and engineers from many
fields. They contribute to the convergence
of seemingly disjointed scientific and
technological disciplines, which in turn can
help solve big scientific and technological
problems that can benefit societies.”
Space exploration
has the potential to help
us better understand
the world that
we live in and
ultimately ourselves.
When it comes to the next NASA mission
to Mars in 2020, Professor Melikechi has
been assigned to the team responsible for
the SuperCam, a remote sensor capable of
identifying the composition of a subject from
up to 20 feet away, using laser technology.
This creation will form a critical element of
the next generation Mars rover. So what next
for the Professor? Firstly a trip to a Mars
Summit in France where he will be discussing
with the world’s foremost space scientists, a
number of topics relating to the Red Planet.
“I will be attending three sessions of the
summit,” he tells us, “one will be dedicated
to the Mars Science Laboratory in which
updates and discussions on the mission and
the Curiosity rover will take place. These are
essential and productive because we have a
chance to hear and discuss many aspects of
the mission. This is a very important meeting
because it provides not only updates but also
an opportunity to learn and contribute to the
Mars Science Laboratory project face-to-face.
The Curiosity Rover exploring Mars
I looked at the sky
and wanted to know
and understand what
was there…
East London Polytechnic, Professor Melikechi
returned to his homeland to complete his
National Service in 1988. After teaching at
Bab Ezzouar University for a period, in 1990
he emigrated from Algeria to begin a career in
the United States, where his voyage of space
research and discovery began. “My scientific
journey brought me naturally to explore
questions that were very closely related to
space,” he reflects.
Professor Melikechi’s journey finished in the
country at the forefront of the space sector,
the United States, where he plays an integral
role in NASA’s on-going research missions to
Mars. The Professor is quick to offer up praise
for the way America has embraced space
science, and he believes other developing
countries should do the same. “The United
States has acquired tremendous knowledge
and capabilities in space exploration. A few
decades ago, the US decided that it was
important to inspire its youth, educate and
encourage them to learn about science,
technology, engineering, and mathematics.
“It invested energy and funds into education,
research and big science, which led it to
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Celebrating Human Endeavour
Celebrating Human Endeavour
“A second session will be focused on the
results and operations of one of the ten
instruments on board the Mars Curiosity
rover: the Chemistry Camera. Finally and
looking further into the future, we will be
meeting about aspects of the Mars 2020
mission and more specifically one of the
instruments I am working on for the mission:
the SuperCam.”
Although the Professor is kept busy with
his work on Mars missions and space
exploration, let us not forget that he also works
on scientific research within his own lab in
Delaware for the potential benefit of all of us.
“I am currently pursuing a research program
aimed at developing new and sensitive optical
techniques, as well as powerful mathematical
tools that can be used for the early detection
of cancers,” he explains.
interest the progress and ambition the UAE
has demonstrated in the space science and
technology sector.
“I am delighted to know that the UAE has
decided to take a giant step and engage in big
science, discovery, and space exploration,” he
notes, with a sense of discernible pride.
The Curiosity Rover fires a laser beam on Mars
Follow your passion,
you can always impact
positively your family,
your neighbour, your
community, your
country, your region,
and the world at large.
“Essentially, in my laboratory we have
developed a new approach based on tagging
specific proteins (antibodies) with a nano or
microparticle, and we then use lasers to
identify the particle in biomedical fluids. The
particle is detected if a cancer antigen binds
to the antibody. Using this approach, we have
obtained promising results so far, and we are
moving to the next level of research: detecting
multi-cancer biomarkers simultaneously. This
technique has shown tremendous potential
and we hope that it can help us identify and
diagnose the presence of cancers at very
early stages. This work brings together laser
spectroscopy, nano-chemistry, and cancer
diagnosis and has the potential to impact on
disease prevention.”
community, your country, your region, and the
world at large.
The Professor is of course very highly
regarded in his field, but he is also extremely
accommodating, down-to-earth and keen to
share his expertise with anybody that shows
an interest in his passion. For young Arabs
hoping to emulate one of the outstanding
scientists from the Arab world, he has the
following words of encouragement: “Young
Arabs are no different than young people
from anywhere around the world except in
the environment each faces everyday. For
one person, life is such that information and
knowledge is available by a simple click,
while for another person obstacles are
such that even dreaming about a preferred
future becomes a challenge. Irrespective of
one’s situation, my advice to you, the young
Arab, is to believe in yourself, to follow your
passion, and know that you can always impact
positively your family, your neighbour, your
“If science and technology are part of your
passion, then work hard to master as much
mathematics, physics, chemistry, and biology
as you possibly can. Realise that you are not
alone and that people learn from one another.
Develop and sustain learning networks,
seek mentors who believe in you and are
prepared to share with you their experiences
and knowledge, and to help you achieve your
dreams. This will help you learn to ask wellformulated questions, which are an essential
and critical trait of a successful scientist.”
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“Whether space exploration or other scientific
endeavours are of interest to you or not,
you will need to build a foundation on which
you can discover your passion, and grow in
you whatever excites you. This foundation
must include continuous and dedicated
commitment to learning, and a passion to
seek to understand the world around you. Is
it hard to achieve this? It is not, provided that
passion exists. If this is the case, what may be
perceived as hardship actually becomes fun.
News of the UAE’s Hope Probe Mission to
Mars has been broadcast across the world,
and Professor Melikechi has noted with great
In the memory of Abdul Kalam, India’s former
President and greatest rocket scientist
“This is a major and tremendous initiative
for many reasons and if you allow me, I will
cite a few. First, this is a clear sign that in the
region, the desire to discover new scientific
knowledge is strong. It is wonderful that
despite all the troubles and all the difficulties
that the region is facing, “Hope” exists. It
reminds us that one should never give up
hope.
“Second, “Hope” is very likely to inspire young
people of the region to dream big, to be
engaged in science and technology, and for
some of them to become great scientists,
engineers and innovators. “Hope” can become
the symbol for the engagement of the Arab
youth in a beautiful, scientific journey.
“Third, this initiative is very likely to yield
key scientific and technological advances and
will also help enhance our understanding of
Earth and possibly the region itself. Often
by exploring major scientific questions, we
acquire knowledge that can be used to solve
problems that seem far removed from the
initial goal of the investigation. “Hope” can be
a new bridge that connects the present to a
better future for the UAE, its people, its region,
and the world. It can trigger the scientific and
technological rebirth of a region that has given
so much to the world in terms of discovery
and innovations in the past.”
And so it is on the subject of Arab space
exploration, and the desire for knowledge
in the region, that we leave the Professor,
and thank him for his time, thoughts and
contribution to Majarat. “I am honoured and
feel privileged to share with your readers
my thoughts and am eager to learn more
about the UAE’s “Hope” mission to Mars. It
takes courage to launch such a mission. I am
confident that history will show that this could
be the beginning of a new era for young Arabs
filled with the joy of creating new knowledge
like our ancestors did a few centuries ago. I
wish “Hope” much success…”
Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam has
sadly passed away after suffering an apparent
cardiac arrest during a lecture at the Indian
Institute of Management in Shilong, aged 83.
The 11th president of India, Kalam was
immensely popular both nationally and
internationally, and used his presidential role
to reach out to the people in a manner that
no other Indian politician had done before, or
has done since.
A middle-class icon, Kalam’s popularity
transcended the usual class barriers seen
across India. The depth of his support, and
the fact he was the only politician to be cited
by young scholars and students as their role
model, was a cause of deep resentment for
other political figures at the time, knowing
that they would never have such a connection
with the people of their country.
Kalam described himself as a scientist,
teacher, learner and writer, and his career
path led him from very humble beginnings
to become a member of the Indian space
program. He was part of the team that built
India’s satellite and missile programme, and
successfully developed indigenous satellite
launch vehicles as a contribution.
Having left the Indian Space Research
Organisation (ISRO) in 1982, he became
the Director of the Defence Research and
Development Laboratory, and under his
supervision, India completed a number of
short and medium-range ballistic missile
tests. His commitment and flair for innovative
thinking, as well as his demands for
perfection and funding for the projects, led
him to become one of the most influential and
respected scientists in the country by the end
of the decade, and having taken charge of the
Indian nuclear tests at Pokhran in 1998, he
suddenly found himself thrust into the realms
of the media spotlight.
National popularity ensued, helped by his
distinctive silver hair, brushed long and styled
in a centre parting. He looked like no other
scientist anyone had ever seen, and enjoyed
the level of celebrity status which would
eventually see him become India’s president
in 2002.
After a successful first-term, Kalam declined
the requests of India’s people to run for a
second in 2007 aged 75, and instead revisited
his first love – teaching and mentoring the
young talent of the country. He travelled
across India, lecturing students at various
academic institutions, and fittingly, that was
how he passed.
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NASA trip inspires Emiratis to
pursue a career in space
interest and passion in the field of space science
and technology, and the ability to be productive
and creative were shortlisted to make the aweinspiring journey. She also pointed out that the
program included detailed information on the
latest materials, equipment, technologies and
projects the scientists at NASA are working on.
Interviews conducted by Zeina Ahmed.
As part of the UAE leadership’s vision to prepare the next
generation of space science professionals, 200 Emirati
students were taken on an inspiring scientific trip to NASA.
Emirati students work as a team to create a rover
Under the Unlimited Ambition Program,
supported by the Mohammed bin Rashid Space
Centre (MBRSC) and other UAE entities, 200
promising Emirati students were given the
opportunity to visit NASA to learn about space
science. They were sent in five separate groups
across the space of a year, with the final group
to go to the space agency headquarters being
21 female students from the Applied Technology
High School in Abu Dhabi.
as students paid a visit to the headquarters of
both the technological and technical research
institutes in South Korea, with the aim of
developing future national working teams
specialised in space science and advanced
technology.
This trip followed a previous successful venture
“A while ago, we signed an agreement with
Majarat talks to Rachida Nashef, Director of the
Applied Technology and Technical High Schools,
about the scientific objectives of the program.
the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre to
sponsor the space science studies of some of
our students. The aim is to motivate students
and build their self-confidence, to provide
academic and training programs according to
international standards and to encourage them
to study space science according to the vision
and strategy of the UAE.”
She added that only the brightest students
are selected to go on the scientific trips she
organises. Those displaying commitment,
Trip supervisor and maths teacher, Mona Al
Sheikh, added that “the trip to NASA was a
unique exploration opportunity for our female
students who want to study engineering and
science, as it allowed them to experience
practical thinking.”
Mona Al Sheikh pointed out that since the
announcement of the Hope probe mission,
many curricula have been introduced relating
to space science, engineering and advanced
science, to build a specialised scientific national
base of experts in this field. “The objective is to
prepare Applied Technology and Technical High
School graduates to study space science in
Khalifa University,” she added.
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a great opportunity for them as students, as it
allowed them to visit such important sites that
are not usually open to the public. They had
the chance to access the ground station and
learn how to communicate with astronauts on
their space journeys. They also learned about
the methods engineers use in manufacturing
space suits and other astronauts’ equipment.
Sheikha said that she’s “Eager to learn more
about everything related to space, planets and
galaxies.”
Director Nashef explained: “We always look
for the appropriate training and learning
opportunities for our students, so they may
gain both knowledge and experience. Last
year (2014), we organised a visit to advanced
scientific, research and industrial institutions in
South Korea, and we will shortly be organising a
visit to Oxford University.” According to Nashef,
this plan is in line with the UAE’s strategy to
send the Hope probe mission to Mars by 2021,
the year of innovation initiative, and the UAE’s
efforts oriented towards building a knowledgebased economy. “We are always proactive in this
domain,” she points out.
During the trip, which lasted two weeks,
the students had the opportunity to learn
about the space equipment industry and the
manufacturing process, which costs millions
and often takes years.
A photo opportunity at NASA HQ
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Another inspired space enthusiast, Shamma
Al Mujeini, said that she was “Astonished by
the scientific progress achieved by NASA,” and
that she “Never expected the facility to be
so spacious. NASA includes advanced science
facilities, rooms for video games, shopping
stores and entertainment clubs. We moved from
one location to another by train; and on one of
the tours, we had the opportunity to see a space
rocket that was still under manufacture.”
The rover works, teamwork works
this scientifically impressive place, we learnt
about Robonauts that are sent into space. We
saw images of the Earth taken from outer space
and we saw samples of the soil of some planets.
While we were there, our group was proposed
the idea of building a Robonaut to be sent into
space. It took us the whole day to build the
model.”
Moza added: “We were 21 students, and we were
divided into five groups, which created a kind
of friendly competition between us. It was very
inspiring and so interesting.”
Moza is one of many students for whom this trip
motivated and inspired the decision to study and
pursue space science.
A group of students have shared with us their
experiences during the visit to NASA, with one
of them, Zainab Rashid, telling us: “It was a new
and innovative idea, and in line with the UAE’s
space science vision. We met many astronauts,
and one of them accompanied us on our tours,
and told us about the details of his journey and
his experiences. I was motivated and wished I
could complete my studies in space science, and
go back to NASA to gain more knowledge and
practical experience.”
Alia Al Shamsi, who also participated in the
NASA visit, said: “During this trip, we saw the
astronauts’ preparation process prior to their
space mission journeys. We learned how they
buy the equipment, and negotiate costs with
the suppliers.” She added that, along with her
colleagues, she learned a lot from the trip,
such as the fact they train astronauts in a huge
swimming pool months before finally travelling
to space. Alia said that her dream is to “Return to
NASA and continue her study of space science.”
Fellow student, Moza Al Zaabi, said: “Here, in
According to Sheikha Mohammed, this trip was
Shamma talked about her dream of becoming
the first Emirati to fly into space and said that
she is very keen to study space science.
Dr. Abdullatif Al Shamsi, Director General of
the Institute of Applied Technology, stated that:
“Taking the students’ delegation programs to
NASA, home to brilliant scientists, engineers and
innovators, offers a highly valuable experience to
the students. These programs raise student
interest in specialising in careers related to
space science and technology, satellites,
electronics, physics and astronomy, which is in
line with the UAE’s strategic plan to enter the
space field.”
Dr. Al Shamsi explained that “The establishment
of the UAE Space Agency and Mohammed bin
Rashid Space Centre, as well as the investment
in the satellite sector, plus the launch of the
“Hope” probe mission to Mars, will lead to a
technological and technical development that
will constitute a new phase in the advancement
of the UAE in a vital field. This will contribute
to the development of advanced scientific
research, aerospace industries and associated
technologies, thus directing the education to
the adoption of a new sector that enhances
knowledge economy.”
After their trip to NASA in Houston, some of the
students have already joined Khalifa University
to study space science, while others joined
international universities to study this significant
major.
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The 10 most iconic images
from human space
endeavour
Man has been travelling to and from space for 56 years now,
and in that time, we have seen images that portray triumph,
potential, tragedy, challenges, achievements and the sheer
scale of whatever is out there. Let’s celebrate human
endeavour with a look at 10 of the most iconic images from
the space story so far.
Dubai from above
The instantly recognisable Dubai shoreline, captured from DubaiSat-2, currently in orbit
above the Earth. The detail within this image is not only a demonstration of the capability of
the Emirati-built satellite, but serves as a reminder of the transformation witnessed in Dubai
itself, and some of the most extraordinary construction projects ever undertaken by man. You
can see the man-made perfection of the Palm Jumeirah as its stretches out into the sea.
Silhouette in space
This beautiful image exhibits a unique
view of the Space Shuttle Endeavour,
apparently in limbo between the
Earth’s atmosphere and space, and
with a beautiful sunset occurring
on the horizon. So many different
elements had to come together at this
precise moment to provide a picture
that encapsulates much of what man
has thus far achieved in space.
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The Earth
This wasn’t the first picture of the Earth taken by a human from outer space, but it was the
first to really catch the essence of how isolated we are. It seems strange now to think that just
55 years ago, humans really had no idea what the world looked like from above. Of course,
we eventually worked out we lived on a round planet, not a flat one, but the stunning visual
feast our beautiful planet serves up could never have been realised until 1965, although this
image was taken aboard Apollo 17 in 1972, and was the first to really capture the imagination
of the entire human race.
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Challenger 73
Man on the moon
An image that serves as a constant reminder of the perils of
space exploration, and the challenges that must constantly
be overcome. This launch of NASA’s Challenger Space Shuttle
was watched around the world by millions, and was to be its
10th mission. In previous missions it had carried the first US
woman to space, and was used in 85% of all NASA space flights
between 1983 and 1985. Sadly, just 73 seconds into its 10th
mission, the Shuttle exploded killing all seven crew members.
A tragic event that led to the grounding of all US space flights
for over two and a half years.
This iconic picture of Buzz Aldrin was taken
by Neil Armstrong, as the pair took their
first steps on the Moon. This image has
been replicated and published millions of
times the world over, and is quite simply
one of those instantly recognisable pictures
whose legacy will be everlasting. Legendary
American pop-artist, Andy Warhol, put his
inimitable imprint onto this picture to further
propel it to the status it now enjoys.
The white sun
Viewing the sun from space takes on an air
of surrealism. When in view on Earth, the
sun is usually surrounded by beautiful blue
skies. In space, it’s a huge light engulfed by a
pitch-black void. The emptiness of space has
never been more poignantly captured than
in this photo taken from the International
Space Station.
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Alone in space
This iconic image captures NASA Astronaut
Bruce McCandles as he makes the first ever
untethered space walk. Using just a jet pack
to navigate his way in space, McCandles
looks very isolated, and is displaying the kind
of bravery and courage associated with all
those who have helped push the human race
to new frontiers in outer space.
India launches
the SLV-3
It was in July 1980 that India became
the sixth nation to become “spacefaring”. This successful launch project
paved the way for the Indian Space
Research Organisation (ISRO) to
launch countless satellites throughout
the last 35 years, including the Mars
Orbiter Mission (MOM), which is
currently in orbit around the Red
Planet. With MOM, India became the
first country to succeed with a mission
to Mars at the first attempt. Despite
their numerous satellite launches,
ISRO has never launched a human
into space, although plans are being
made for a potential human mission
in 2017.
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First woman in space
Valentina Tereshkova was the first female
to go to space. The Russian cosmonaut
made the journey in 1963, aged just 27. It
marked another huge victory for the former
Soviet Union in their on-going space contest
with America. The US didn’t send a woman
out of the atmosphere until 1983, and had
previously been beaten by a month in their
race with the Russians to send a man up to
space for the very first time. Perhaps more
significant than the intercontinental rivalry
provoked by the Cold War, was the hope that
Valentina gave to women, not just in Russia,
but everywhere. That a woman in the 1960’s
was able to make an impact on such a maledominated sector, was quite remarkable at
that time.
The Eastern Seaboard by night
This image of the East Coast of America at night was captured by a crewmember aboard the
International Space Station in 2012. The photo perfectly illustrates the modern urbanisation
of the USA, with New York and Manhatten (bottom right), Philadelphia (left of New York), and
Pittsburgh (central) all clearly visible, along with the major highways that link them. Further
north is Washington DC and Maryland. Views like this allow Astronauts to feel like they are not
so very far from home, and that back on Earth everything is just as it should be.
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Celebrating Human Endeavour
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Celebrating Human Endeavour
of luck for the training and the mission.
Prince Sultan had great responsibility on his
shoulders, carrying the weight of expectation
and the global reputation of the Arab states
with him through the intense training period.
The trip would potentially change the way
the western world perceived the Arab world
forever. The Arab world had always had
to import the latest technology from the
western world, but Prince Sultan’s journey
was something that people would always
be able to marvel at and call their own, and
the coverage would hopefully inspire a new
generation to embark upon careers in the
fields of science and technology, reducing
dependence on the west for modern
conveniences, and establishing a strong
presence for the sector in a number of states
throughout the Middle East. This was one of
the core objectives in the long run.
Prince Sultan getting ready for the most important journey of his life
The NASA team were multi-national, the first time this was the case
The story of the first Arab
in space
was opened up for an Arab to take their
place on the Space Shuttle Discovery flight
arranged for the 17th June, 1985.
On the 17th June 1985, Prince Sultan bin Salman of Saudi Arabia
blasted off from the Kennedy Space Centre aboard the Space
Shuttle Discovery with a team of international crewmembers, on
a mission that would forever transform the Arab world.
It was 1976, and the Arab League had
identified the need to bring the region together
by finding a new, reliable means of interstate
communication. The decision was made to
launch a satellite that would link the entire 14
million square kilometre Arab world, and it
was the Arab Telecommunication Union, the
Arab Organisation for Education, Science and
Culture, and the Arab States Broadcasting
Union that worked in collaboration under the
umbrella of the Arab League to implement a
satellite network that would bring the Arab
world into a new era. With the idea now
firmly in place, it was decided to establish an
institution for satellite communications to be
based in Riyadh, named Arabsat.
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Arabsat began work right away, and
commissioned a French company, Aérospatiale,
to work on Arabsat-1a, destined to be the
first Arab satellite placed into orbit. The
satellite was successfully launched from a
launchpad in Europe, however with the eyes
of the Arab world upon it, the satellite failed
to open correctly when placed into orbit due
to a malfunction, and although after several
failed attempts it was eventually opened,
it was unable to function at the level they
hoped for initially.
The Arab League were disappointed, but
persevered with their plan and, instead of
losing hope, they decided to try for a second
time. This time however, they planned to
send an Arab astronaut or payload specialist
to oversee the mission. It had also been
a long-term ambition of the Arab League
to launch a satellite through NASA, and a
contract was drawn up and signed, which
would see an Arab astronaut accompany the
second satellite, Arabsat-1b into outer space
with the American space agency.
The idea of NASA ever allowing a nonAmerican to fly was completely alien at
that time, but NASA broke with tradition as
they saw the amazing enthusiasm the Arab
world had for the space program and space
exploration, and so a payload specialist role
The journey towards becoming a NASA
astronaut is one of the most demanding
anyone could ever face, both mentally and
physically, and many candidates barely make
it through the initial week of the testing
period. So as a young Prince Sultan took his
place among the 19 other Arab hopefuls,
he wasn’t even contemplating the idea that
he might succeed in the training and have
a chance of playing a role in the mission, he
was just delighted to have been able to apply,
having learnt of the opportunity only weeks
before the testing of the applicants was due
to begin.
During testing, each applicant was scrutinised
and put through their paces severely in a
search for the extra aptitude required to
successfully partake in a space mission.
When it comes to space missions and NASA
protocol, it would be extremely naïve to think
that one’s social standing would have any
impact upon whether they would be allowed
to go into space, so for Prince Sultan there
was never a question that he may be allowed
to go because of who he was. The process
of selection is based on a list of very specific
criteria related to skillset and competence,
and although the Prince felt drained after the
testing, he thought he had done a good job.
Arab ambassador
The news came though that the Prince
had been selected for the mission, and his
original tiredness made way for excitement,
but there was still many obstacles in his
way before he would be looking down upon
the Earth from the atmosphere, not least
the requirement to gain approval from King
Fahd. No member of any royal family had
ever flown a space mission before, and
the King was certainly staking a lot on the
27-year old Prince being the ambassador for
the whole Arab World, with the eyes of the
planet upon him. He wanted to make sure
he was up to the job, but the Prince showed
his commitment and his enthusiasm,
and with some words of reassurance and
encouragement from his father, the current
ruler King Salman, King Fahd gave his
blessing and wished the Prince the very best
When the Prince arrived at Houston, Texas for
his condensed 10-week training period, he
nearly wasn’t allowed into the high-security
training complex. Turning up wearing jeans
and a t-shirt, the security guards refused to
believe that the Prince was actually who he
said he was. They were of course expecting
him at the Lyndon B Johnson Space Centre
that day, but when the arrival of such a
high profile member of a royal family is
anticipated, so too is an entourage, perhaps
a fleet of limousines, and a lot of expensive
luggage. This really wasn’t the Prince’s style
though, and after finally negotiating his way
in with the help of his passport, he was able
to begin his intensive course.
There was one other quite significant
obstacle in his way, and that was the fact
that in the summer months in Houston,
temperatures and humidity soar to a level
similar to that of the Middle East, and the
daylight hours run from around 5am to
8:30pm. This wouldn’t usually be an issue,
but the holy month of Ramadan fell in the
middle of the training program, so the long
days and intense physical exertion made
fasting a real challenge, but even though
scholars are unanimously agreed that a
traveller is permitted to refrain from fasting,
the Prince was adamant that he would not
only fast, but also complete a year’s worth of
training in a two-month period. And he did.
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M OT I VAT E
Thought Provoking Notions
Celebrating Human Endeavour
When the launch day came around, the
sense of nervousness and excitement across
the Arab world was palpable. In the mideighties, the global interest in space missions
was at an all-time high, so the eyes of the
entire world were fixed on the Space Shuttle
Discovery on the 17th June 1985. What made
this particular mission so interesting on a
purely human level was that it was a multinational mission, the first time this had really
been done by NASA. The Shuttle contained
predominantly Americans, but also one
payload specialist of French descent, and
a mission specialist who originated from
China, despite being raised in Oklahoma
USA, in addition to Prince Sultan.
Into orbit
The main mission of the flight was to place
Arabsat-1b into orbit, and the responsibility
in the eyes of the watching Arab world was
firmly in the hands of Prince Sultan. As
the launch process began, the tension was
evident on the faces of the watching public
and the Prince’s family, who had made the
trip to the Kennedy Space Centre, Florida, to
witness their young Prince leave the Earth.
The launch was a success, and work began in
earnest at making the Space Shuttle a home
for the next seven days.
The satellite was placed into orbit, and a
day later it was time to test its operational
capabilities. The method for testing was
The Prince making notes in zero-gravity
ISSUE 02
perhaps the highest profile method of all.
On television, in a live satellite link up with
the King, and with the whole Arab world
watching. If they could converse, the satellite
would be officially operational. The call took
place, and the Prince and King spoke for five
minutes, with the King commending Sultan
for his achievements and his representation
of the Arab world.
and they celebrated together. This was not
just a Saudi mission; this was an Arab
mission, with the message that we must
take challenges, and embark upon new
experiences, a message that has remained
to this day, and is exhibited by the UAE
and the ambition with which MBRSC has
displayed by moving onto new frontiers with
the Hope Probe to Mars.
As a result of the mission, not only did the
Arab world now have instant communication
connectivity to each other via telephone, but
also people were now far more aware of and
interested in space science, particularly the
young. This was one of the goals of Prince
Sultan’s mission, and since the mission he
has constantly toured schools to talk to
and inspire youngsters as a role model for
millions.
“I remember watching the Apollo 11
moon landing aged just 13 in Saudi
Arabia. It was definitely a very exciting
moment for myself as a young boy
and my friends. We were talking about
the momentous event for whole week
afterwards. As young people we began
to dream. I never thought that I would
one day be an astronaut that travelled
into space, and it was an honour. A
larger honour for me was being able to
meet the astronauts, cosmonauts and
the flyers that have spent their lifetime
learning, participating in and observing
the space program.
His main job started when he landed safely
back on earth. He was now a symbol of the
Arab world, and he showed the Arab children
that here is nothing you can’t accomplish.
The mission also acted as a catalyst for
the Arab World to be able to enter into
agreements and collaborate with some
of the most distinguished global scientific
organisations, which suddenly realised that
the Arab world too has brilliant minds and
capable scientists.
The Arab people felt their region had now
realised a high level of scientific achievement,
“I can say with full confidence that
the space program still energises and
inspires real people. In my case, in 1985
I remember, when our team of scientists
and myself came back to Saudi, the
faces on the young people of Saudi
and the pride they felt by seeing their
own people participating in the space
program. Space has always been a very
real attraction for young people aspiring
to do more with their lives, and as I live
in Saudi and indeed travel the world
giving lectures, I still feel the welcoming
arms of young people everywhere who
get excited by talking about space, and
as I go around and lecture and speak
about space programs, I feel that the
space program and the interest is more
powerful than ever before.”
Prince Sultan bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al
Saud – the first Arab in space, the first
Muslim in space, and the first member of
royalty in space.
DHL – The secret to
remaining the best
Majarat speaks to Frank-Uwe Ungerer, DHL Express UAE
Country Manager, about how his company has managed
to win the GPTW Institute’s award as the best company
to work for in the UAE for the second year in a row.
A big part of the vision of the leadership of
Dubai is to try to emphasise the importance
of employees to success, whether the
entity is private or public. The Government
continues to work hard to instil the idea
that incentives, the working environment and
general conditions of employment are directly
correlated to prosperity in business, a notion
that DHL can bear testament to.
The latest study conducted by the global
workplace consultant and research company,
Great Place To Work (GPTW) Institute has
named DHL as the best company to work
for in the UAE for the second year in a row.
The GPTW award and ranking system is an
established accolade in Europe, the Middle
East, and Asia, and is certainly a sought-after
prize, with DHL beating off competition from
Microsoft, Ericsson, FedEx, Estee Lauder and
the Marriott Group to name but a few.
We conduct an in-depth
training needs analysis
to identify individual
and team training
requirements which are
made available to all
employees
One of the KPI’s of the award is based
on staff feedback through questionnaires.
These questionnaires relate to employee
trust, company credibility, communication,
respect, fairness and freedom of expression,
and are world-renowned, annually revised
forms, which are seen as the gold standard
Frank-Uwe Ungerer, DHL Express UAE Country Manager
measure of defining a great workplace. The
secondary aspect to the grading is based
on a moderator audit and assessment of
the employer and the culture within the
workplace.
Country Manager, Frank-Uwe Ungerer, offers
us an insight into how DHL won the award
for the second year running, and how the
company continues to derive positive results
and growth through its staff training, and the
emphasis it places on employee satisfaction.
Majarat: How important are the staff to what
DHL is trying to achieve in the UAE?
FUU: “In a service industry like ours, our
employees ARE the key differentiator in being
able to deliver on our customer promise in
the UAE and across the 220 countries we
operate in. This is reflected in our FOCUS
strategy, which has four pillars – the first of
which is “Motivated People”. We believe that
if we have engaged and motivated employees
they will deliver outstanding service which
builds customer loyalty and ultimately allows
us to be more profitable and successful as
a business. Our employees are crucial to
our success and maintaining our service
leadership in the market.”
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M OT I VAT E
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42
M OT I VAT E
Thought Provoking Notions
Thought Provoking Notions
DHL is the number one logistics company in the world
every year, covering several touch points. Our
senior management team spend two thirds
of their time out in the field with our front line
employees to make sure they are engaged
and motivated.
The working environment has a big impact upon productivity
Majarat: What kind of training and incentives
do staff receive?
FUU: “DHL has a global ‘Certified International
Specialists’ training and development
platform which provides all of our 100,000+
staff training on the express logistics industry,
functional expertise and the DHL attributes.
This ensures a consistent approach and
develops our employees not just in their
role but improves their career growth
opportunities. The training covers all levels
in the business and even has a Certified
International Manager and Supervisor
program to build leadership expertise. This
is also a commitment to our customers and
ensures that no matter where you are in the
world, you would still receive the same level
of consistent service quality.
“In addition to the CIS program, we conduct an
in-depth training needs analysis to identify
ISSUE 02
individual and team training requirements
which are made available to employees through
classroom training, blended learning and
e-learning, and cover a range of soft skills and
competency development requirements.”
Our communication
is extremely open, and
senior management
take feedback
extremely seriously
Majarat: What is the workplace culture at
DHL in the UAE, and was it instilled by the
international DHL brand, or is the way you
run the business here exclusive to the UAE?
FUU: “The workplace culture at DHL is a
work hard, play hard culture. We have a very
strong global DHL culture but recognise the
differences of each of the regions that we
operate in and we tweak it where necessary
to make sure that we are creating the best
work environment for our employees.
“The UAE is unique in several ways and we
recognise this. We capitalise on our diversity
and create a strong family atmosphere to
provide a support system since people are
away from home. Some of the other things
that help define our culture include an open
door policy to make sure that our employees
can always voice their hopes and concerns
without fear.
“Our communication is extremely open,
and senior management take feedback
extremely seriously, acting upon it where
necessary. This is also supported by our
annual Employee Opinion Survey, which
measures our employee engagement levels
“We have transparency in all of our policies.
Recognition and having fun are very important
and encouraged by all managers. And finally,
we celebrate our successes and act on our
areas for improvement together as one.”
Majarat: What do you think are the three most
important attributes needed from employees
to bring success for a company?
FUU: “They need to be engaged and motivated
in a sense whereby every day is their best day
at work. This will result in them delivering
great service quality for our customers
and ultimately leading to loyal customers.
Achieving this not only makes us profitable,
but a great place to work as well. This is the
cycle and culture that we are promoting in
DHL. The key attributes that help employees
deliver this are speed, passion, a “can do”
and “right first time” mentality, all supported
by an overall value of respect.”
Majarat: How important would you say the
working environment is in inspiring and
motivating staff?
FUU: “The working environment does play a
crucial role in the enthusiasm and happiness
of employees. Last year we moved to our new
state-of-the art country office and ground
operations centre in Meydan, and from its
initial stages of design we have made sure
that the building has a lot of windows and
natural light flowing into the office and the
key basics such as covered car parks, good
c/c and ventilation in the warehouses and
good workstations.
You need to make sure
your people are happy,
respected and understand
the value of their work to
the business. This builds
engagement and will
make people want to work
with the company.
“We also made sure we included the
opinions of our employees in terms of their
expectations and elements they would like
to have in the building, such as a quiet room,
billiards, showers, a PlayStation and even a
fully equipped fitness centre!”
Majarat: What advice would you give to a
company looking to get more out of their
employees?
FUU: “You need to make sure your people are
happy, respected and understand the value
of their work to the business. This builds
engagement and will make people want
to work with the company. Motivation and
engagement are crucial for any successful
business. Include your people in community
initiatives, drive a culture of coaching and
developing your employees and most
importantly, respect and recognise the great
work they deliver. This will ultimately boost
morale and keep them motivated.”
Majarat: Why do you think your staff have
voted you as the best company to work for in
the UAE for two years in a row?
FUU: “I think because we try to do all the
various initiatives I mentioned earlier. We not
only do it consistently but also continue to build
and improve on it every year. Our employees
can feel the difference and appreciate all that
is being done for them. There is no magic
wand and it’s a continuous focus on listening
and making the right changes.”
For more information on DHL Logistics in the
UAE, visit www.dhl.ae
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45
The greatest spacecraft of all time
Majarat takes you on a journey through space history, as we look at the
most iconic, most technologically advanced spacecraft ever built on
Earth. Each has made an invaluable contribution to the advancement of
our knowledge of outer space, but which is the greatest?
Apollo 11
As the first spacecraft to take man to the moon, Apollo 11 simply has to be the greatest spacecraft of all time. The
moon landing is still to this day the most seminal space accomplishment, and the three crew members of Apollo 11
(Buzz Aldrin, Neil Armstrong and Michael Collins) are household names the world over. Launched in 1969, Apollo 11
invigorated and inspired the human race, and was undoubtedly responsible for most of the groundbreaking scientists
and engineers that have contributed so much to the advancement of the industry, opting to pursue a career in space
in the first place. Apollo 11 effectively ended the space race with Russia, with the Russians having to concede defeat
to a job well done. Just three hours before the launch of Apollo 11,
and unmanned Russian spacecraft called Lunar 15 had entered into
an orbit of the moon as the Russians tried to successfully land it,
take rock samples and bring them back to Earth before the American
astronauts could do the same. Sadly for them, a malfunction occurred
which saw Lunar 15 hurtle into the moon and destroy itself, leaving
the pathway clear for the victorious Americans, and the most famous
words ever spoken: “One small step for (a) man, one giant leap for
mankind.”
Apollo 11 Stats:
Launch Date: 16th July 1969
Cost: $7.95 billion
Mission Duration: 8 days
Space Agency: NASA
Maximum Distance from Earth: 239,070 miles
New Horizons
New Horizons takes its place inside our list as it has sparked such massive interest in space travel and the
possibilities human endeavour represents. Having just completed a flypast of Pluto, the farthest planetary
body in our Solar System, and sent back the most detailed images of
the dwarf planet yet, New Horizons has received massive international
exposure for all it has thus far achieved. But it’s not done yet. It is also
the highest velocity spacecraft ever built, travelling at a staggering
36,000 miles per hour, so as it now heads towards the Kepler Belt, it
could end up making it to a planet in another Solar System long before
any other man-made apparatus.
New Horizons Stats:
Launch Date: 19th January 2006
Cost: $650 million
Mission Duration: 9 years
Space Agency: NASA
Maximum Distance from Earth: 2.8 billion miles
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International Space Station
The International Space Station (ISS) is certainly one of the most important spacecraft of all time, and probably the most impressive
piece of engineering ever witnessed. As a living facility and research laboratory orbiting the Earth, the ISS has been home to over
200 astronauts and cosmonauts, with research and discoveries undertaken on the space station likely to play an integral role in the
development of future human space endeavour, including the potential of taking humans to Mars. The laboratory has made huge
breakthroughs in the fields of physics, biology meteorology and astronomy, and has also given astronauts a base from where to
communicate live and directly with the general public via social media platforms such as Twitter, posting photos and performing
live webcasts while fielding questions and carrying out a number
of interesting requests from the thousands who follow their every
move. With 15 different nationalities having visited the space station, it
represents the first and most significant truly global collaboration on
a space project, testament to the achievements that are possible when
great minds from all nations come together to work as one.
International Space Station Stats:
Launch Date: 20th November 1998
Cost: $150 billion
Mission Duration: 16 years
Space Agency: ESA, CSA, JAXA, NASA & Roscosmos
Maximum Distance from Earth: 262 miles
Voyager 1
Viking 1
Voyager 1 is the
only spacecraft to
have travelled into
interstellar space.
Launched in 1977,
with a lot of technical
equipment that became
very quickly out-dated,
the most remarkable
thing
about
the
Voyager 1 is that it is
still fully functioning,
and that it left our Solar System in September 2014, 37 years
after its launch. The fact that it is still able to communicate
with Earth is a testament to the genius of the engineers that
worked on it, with the limited technology available at the
time. Where Voyager 1 will end up, nobody knows, but as it
traverses the Kepler belt on its way to the next Solar System,
it leaves us with a legacy of being the spacecraft that has
taken the most extraordinary journey, and been responsible
for one of the most exciting space developments ever.
Viking 1 was the
first spacecraft to
land on Mars, and
was the first to
send back colour
images of the Red
Planet. Launched
in 1975, and
equipped
with
both an orbiter
and a lander component, Viking 1’s legacy stretches
to the modern day, and the UAE Hope probe mission to
Mars that the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre has
embarked upon. The images were transmitted across
the world on every major television network, giving the
human race its first clear view of the Martian surface,
a surface and landscape that was previously reserved
only for the imagination. The Viking 1 lander continued
to send data and photographs of the surface, while
taking soil samples too, up until a malfunction occurred
six years later.
Voyager 1 Stats:
Viking 1 Stats:
Launch Date: 20th August 1975
Cost: $1 billion
Mission Duration: 1,824 days
Space Agency: NASA
Maximum Distance from Earth: 33.9 million miles
Launch Date: 5th September 1977
Cost: $250 million
Mission Duration: 37 years
Space Agency: NASA
Maximum Distance from Earth: 12 billion miles
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46
Hubble Space Telescope
Space Shuttle Discovery
The Hubble Telescope has provided the
most detailed images of far off stars
and galaxies we have ever laid eyes
on. The telescope raised the profile
of space in a way no other spacecraft
could, by providing stunning clarity to
images of the universe, and allowing the
human race to start to comprehend the
size, the splendour, the instability and
the beauty of the environment we find
ourselves flying through at 67,000 miles
per hour. The Hubble Telescope was only
predicted to last 15 years in its orbit,
and yet a quarter of a century later it
continues to send back groundbreaking
images, and shows no sign of slowing
down. A triumph for human engineering,
and human endeavour, the Hubble
Telescope’s most lasting legacy in terms of discovery was the accuracy with which it was able to demonstrate the
formation and expansion of the universe with unwavering accuracy.
The iconic Space Shuttle Discovery
captured the imagination of a
whole new generation of space
enthusiasts, as its spectacular and
numerous launches coincided with
a higher definition of television
coverage, making the impact and
sheer magnitude of a space launch
really become apparent in homes
across the world. It has logged more
flying time than any other spacecraft
in history, and successfully completed 39 missions during its 28-year long
career. Discovery logged more than 148 million flight miles, and has a portfolio
brimming with a selection of the most remarkable space exploits ever seen.
These include the launch of the Hubble Telescope and the Ulysses space probe,
as well as being the spacecraft that carried the first Arab into space. As a
trusted and reliable spacecraft, the Space Shuttle Discovery clearly stands head
and shoulders above the rest of its predecessors, and most of those that have
been commissioned since. Space Shuttle Discovery was finally retired in March
2011, and is now on display at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Centre in Virginia.
Hubble Space Telescope Stats:
Launch Date: 24th April 1990
Cost: $2.5 billion
Mission Duration: 24.5 years
Space Agency: ESA, STScl & NASA
Maximum Distance from Earth: 355 miles
Space Shuttle Discovery Stats:
Launch Date: 30th August 1984
Cost: $1.5 billion
Mission Duration: 27 years
Space Agency: NASA
Maximum Distance from Earth: 330 miles
Galileo
Vostok 1
Galileo was the first spacecraft to orbit Jupiter, the largest
planet in our Solar System. The unmanned NASA probe was
launched in October 1989, with the mission of studying Jupiter
and some of its 63 moons. In 1995, after six years, Galileo
reached its subject and began its analysis of the atmosphere of
the gas-covered planet. One of the most significant discoveries
Galileo uncovered came not on Jupiter, but on one of its moons
– Europa. The evidence gathered by Galileo strongly points
towards water being present underneath the thick sheet of ice
enveloping the surface of Europa, as well as the presence of
minerals seemingly not unlike clay. To this day, the discovery
remains one of the most fascinating examples of organic
material we have ever found outside of the Earth. In 2003, the
mission ended as NASA sent Galileo plummeting into the atmosphere of Jupiter at a speed of 108,000 miles per hour.
The Vostok 1 took Yuri Gagarin into space
in 1961, making him the first man in space.
Still to this day this is one of the most
spectacular achievements by the human
race, and was made all the sweeter for
the Russians as they beat the US by three
weeks. Changing the course of history, and
showing the world that anything is possible,
the Soviet-built Vostok 1 deserves recognition for everything it accomplished
in its 1 hour 48 minute mission. Not only did Gagarin become the first man
to go into an orbit of the Earth, he also made it safely back to the ground,
although he did end up over 5,000 miles away from home as he crash-landed
in Angola. The remains of the spacecraft are on display at the RKK Energiya
museum just outside Moscow.
Galileo Stats:
Vostok 1 Stats:
Launch Date: 12th April 1961
Cost: $4 million
Mission Duration: 1 hour 48 minutes
Space Agency: Soviet space program
Maximum Distance from Earth: 203 miles
Launch Date: 18th October 1989
Cost: $1.4 billion
Mission Duration: 7.7 years
Space Agency: NASA
Maximum Distance from Earth: 490 million miles
ISSUE 02
Pioneer 10
Pioneer became the first
spacecraft to enter the asteroid
belt on its way to Jupiter, and
represented NASA’s first attempt
at navigating a probe through the
precarious rock belt, something it
did successfully. This opened up
the floodgates for the American
space agency to send numerous
missions to the farther reaches
of our Solar System. Launched in
1972, Pioneer 10 gave us our first
detailed images of Jupiter, and
also allowed us to discover that
the planet radiates more heat
than it receives from the Sun.
After sending back more than
500 images of Jupiter, Pioneer 10
continued into the outer reaches
of space, and although the
mission was officially ceased in
1997, Pioneer 10 kept in contact
up until the signal was lost in
2003. The spacecraft is now in
deep space, approaching Proximi
Centauri, the nearest star to our
Solar System.
Pioneer 10 Stats:
Launch Date: 3rd March 1972
Cost: $150 million
Mission Duration: 30.9 years
Space Agency: NASA
Maximum Distance from Earth:
7.46 billion miles
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48
INTERMISSION
Rest, Refresh & Refuel
Rest, Refresh & Refuel
Mars One – A new civilisation on
Mars in under 15 years?
Majarat speaks to the Mars One foundation’s CEO, Bas Lansdorp,
about his hopes for putting humans on Mars, and exactly what one
would do on the Red Planet if they went there.
providing clean water, food and shelter for
millions of starving people in Ethiopia. The
publicity and enthusiastic support of Live Aid
has never been seen since, and the figure
raised as a direct result of the British and US
concerts 30 years later sits at £150 million
(871,088,600AED), of which the ruling family
of Dubai were the largest single contributors
after a direct phone conversation with
organiser Bob Geldof.
How the Mars colony might look on the Red Planet
After the initial team of four humans have
landed on the Red Planet, the Mars One
initiative will aim to send another group
every 26 months thereafter, creating a new
civilisation 225,300,000km from home.
There are those that foresee a number of
difficulties for the ambitious project, not least
being able to secure the necessary funding
and acquiring the technology in time for a
2026 human launch to Mars, but CEO and
co-founder, Bas Lansdorp is a man with big
dreams and big ambitions.
“When I saw images of the surface of Mars
as a student back in 1997, it made me want
to go there myself,” Lansdorp recalls, going
on to explain that having spent his spare
time with friends plotting a way to make a
visit a distinct possibility, “I sold shares in my
previous company to finance the start-up of
Mars One.” He has been working full-time on
the project since 2011.
The long-term vision is to bring humanity to a
new planet, but Lansdorp acknowledges this
is something that can’t happen overnight.
“We envisage that the Mars One colony will
be large and equipped enough to be selfsustainable, but we realise this can only be
achieved by decades of effort and patience.”
Money Talks
As well as patience and hard work, a huge
amount of funding and support from other
initiatives and space agencies is required to
quite literally get Mars One off the ground.
Collaboration Works
“We estimate the cost of putting the first crew
on Mars in order to sustain the first colony to
be $6 billion.” This figure seems like quite a
large sum, especially in light of the amount
of funding the Mars One foundation has
made public on their website, a figure which
currently sits at $784,380.
Lansdorp also hopes to be able to collaborate
with other companies looking to establish a
human settlement on Mars. “We are looking
to join forces with several other initiatives,
both private and public, to allow each of us
to play a role in bringing humanity to a new
planet.” he states.
This was the largest appeal for the world’s
public to place money into something which
simply couldn’t be ignored any longer – the
plight of fellow human beings with no power
to be able to help themselves. The Mars One
project needs to achieve funding levels of
around 40 times the level of Live Aid, and in
just 11 years, to reach its target.
The project has apparently managed to
attract some investors looking to make
returns, seemingly attracted by the idea that
if such a project were to take off, the television
rights would be more than enough to provide
a significant return on investment. It is the
television rights and the intellectual property
rights, or at least the profits each of these
could yield investors, which will form the
basis of the appeal for when Mars One floats
on the Stock Exchange in the coming years.
Mars One is an organisation with big ideas.
The founders aim to begin a colony on Mars in
the year 2026, with an unmanned preparation
launch scheduled for 2020, using the same
launch window as the UAE’s very own Hope
Mars Probe.
INTERMISSION
But without the support of similar initiatives
and the larger space agencies, the task of
even launching the first crew is made much
Inside one of the Mars dwellings
more difficult. So what kind of relationship
does Mars One enjoy with these numerous
entities? “Mars One is very interested in
co-operating with various space agencies
in the coming years. Many of our advisers
hold or have held important positions at
space agencies. Most of our suppliers have
developed and operated components for
NASA, ESA and the International Space Station
missions. Future co-operation could include
sharing of hardware resources, collaborating
in answering scientific questions or taking a
payload of one of the space agencies on one
of our missions.”
When it comes to the technology and the
personnel required for such an ambitious
project, both already exist. In fact currently,
there are 100 hopeful applicants being
put through their paces at the Mars One
headquarters in the third round of candidate
testing. Two of these are Dubai residents.
The original number of applicants has been
stated to be somewhere between 2,000 and
200,000, depending on which media outlet is
reporting on it.
They will eventually be cut down to four, who
will potentially be the first humans to set
foot on another planet. When it comes to
selection of the correct candidates, Lansdorp
believes that the decision is one far too
great to be undertaken just by the foundation
itself. “The selected crew will be heroes
for generations to come as envoys of all
humanity. For this reason, Mars One feels
the need to share the decision of selecting
the individuals with everyone. Having said
that, at no point in the selection process will
the wider public choose someone who the
Mars One selection committee determines
unfit for the mission. The expert panel in
the committee will exclude anyone who is
not qualified, only after which the public will
choose their representatives to Mars.”
Potentially there’s a list of private investors
in Mars One, who choose to keep their
donations out of the public domain. However,
finding $6 billion worth of investment from
public contributions would require a recordbreaking level of financing.
To put the challenge of raising this figure in
context, we can look back at Live Aid 1985,
the largest global simulcast television appeal
for cash in living memory. The concerts were
broadcast across the globe to an estimated
audience of 1.9 billion, geared towards
Astronauts would be required to build their own residences upon Mars, should they get there
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ISSUE 02
THE LAST WORD
50
Final Thoughts of the Managing Editor
To the future...
And so we reach the conclusion of the second issue of Majarat. The journey involved in creating
a magazine that both educates and stimulates the minds of UAE residents and nationals is a
pleasurable one, and we hope that by keeping our readers up to date with all the activity at the
space centre, that you feel as though you are with us as we continue with our historic missions.
I must say the feedback from our first issue across social media has been overwhelming, and on
behalf of the team, I thank you all for your kind words. We hope to be able to continue to inspire
each and every single individual to look at the awe-inspiring world of space science and technology
in a different way.
Perhaps you were unaware of the significant contributions to international space programs that
Arabs have already made? We will continue to cover and speak with the most inspiring role models
from our region who have made such telling contributions to the credibility of the Arab world in the
eyes of larger nations.
One day, we could even be writing about you. Because what the UAE Hope probe mission certainly
offers each and everyone of us is the opportunity to become inspired and to become involved in
something that will redefine Arab history.
We embark on projects such as these to give our nation hope and to inspire our people, but these
projects also represent an opportunity to participate, to take part, for those with the right attitude,
determination and ambition. The future is yours to create.
Until next time…
Mona Al Qamzi
Managing Editor
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