By Ali Imran
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has congratulated the leadership and people of the United Arab Emirates on the outstanding success of Emirates Mars Mission Hope Probe.
In a tweet, Foreign Office Spokesperson Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri said it is a testament to the vision of the UAE leadership, and a pride for its people, as well as Muslim Ummah.
Earlier the United Arab Emirates “Hope” probe on Monday had successfully entered Mars orbit, making history as the Arab world s first interplanetary mission.
The probe was designed to reveal the secrets of Martian weather, but the UAE also wants it to serve as an inspiration for the region s youth. “To the people of the UAE, to the Arab and Muslim nations, we announce the successful arrival to Mars orbit. Praise be to God,” said Omran Sharaf, the mission s project manager. Officials at mission control broke into applause after the probe entered orbit, visibly relieved after a tense half-hour as the aprobe carried out a “burn” to slow itself enough to be pulled in by Martian gravity, in what was the most perilous stage of the journey.
Hope is the first of three spacecraft to arrive at the Red Planet this month after China and the US also launched missions in July, taking advantage of a period when the Earth and Mars are nearest. The UAE s venture is also timed to mark the 50th anniversary of the unification of the UAE s seven emirates.
