HAMDAN BIN MOHAMMED HAMAD AL MANSOURI PROFESSOR MELIKECHI A NEW EARTH

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

Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre Magazine 

ISSUE 2 September 2015 

The new Chairman of MBRSC tours the 

centre and announces a 15-year strategic 

plan for development 

The Chairman of the Board talks 

about MBRSC’s role in the knowledgebased 

economy 

The renowned Arab scientist on NASA‘s 

efforts to explore Mars 

Astronomers discover Kepler-452b, the 

most Earth-like planet ever found 

3 CONTENTS 

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. 

Inspired by Space Science and Technology 

HAMDAN BIN MOHAMMED 

HAMAD AL MANSOURI 

PROFESSOR MELIKECHI 

A NEW EARTH 

A magazine specialised in space science 

and technology, issued bi-monthly and 

produced on behalf of the Mohammed bin 

Rashid Space Centre. 

General Supervisor 

Yousuf Hamad Al Shaibani 

Director General 

Yousuf@mbrsc.ae 

Managing Editor 

Mona Al Qemzi 

Assistant Director General for 

Financial and Administrative Affairs 

Editorial Secretary 

Saeed Al-Emadi 

Media and External Communication officer 

Editorial and design 

Editorial Board 

Amani Abuseedo 

Dan Charter 

Nicole Rehbane 

Dua Al Shafey 

Design and production 

Sree E S 

To contact the magazine: 

MBRSC: +971 4 6071200 

7G Media: +971 4 449 5427 

info@mbrsc.ae 

info@7gmedia.com 

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for any outdated or incorrect information.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 

Discover 

Inspire 

Motivate 

Intermission 

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 

13 Hamad Obaid Al Mansouri, Chairman MBRSC 

16 Omran Sharaf, Emirates Mars Mission Project Manager 

18 NASA discovers new Earth 

20 New Horizons, new discoveries 

22 International Space News 

26 Noureddine Melikechi 

29 Abdul Kalam 

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 

41 Frank-Uwe Ungerer - DHL 

44 The greatest spacecraft of all time 

48 Mars One – A new civilisation on Mars in under 15 years? 

50 Editorial - Mona Al Qamzi 

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. 

Join us to work on the most ambitious national scientific projects 

An inspiring work environment based on training and career development 

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. 

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. 

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. 

Yousuf Hamad Al Shaibani 

Director General 

Become a source of national pride. 

Apply via e-mail: careers@mbrsc.ae or visit www.mbrsc.ae for more information. 

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6 7 

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 

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 

specialisations in a way so as to support the 

UAE’s vision in the space sector. 

The centre’s establishment 

decree in full 

“Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al 

Maktoum has issued a law establishing the 

Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre, which 

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. 

Additionally, the Mohammed bin Rashid 

Space Centre will serve as a platform 

to provide an integrated infrastructure 

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. 

“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 

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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“Our task is to 

transfer and 

localise space 

science knowledge, 

and build Emirati 

generations that 

have the courage to 

compete with the 

major nations.” 

Hamdan bin Mohammed signing his lab overalls 

Observing the scientists at work in the MBRSC labs 

Hamdan bin Mohammed signs the decree 

constructed to be the infrastructure for the 

manufacture of satellites in the UAE. 

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. 

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.” 

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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Learning some of the technical procedures in the labs 

Meeting the team at MBRSC 

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. 

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.” 

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? 

Group photo with the new chairman 

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. 

“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 

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. 

“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.” 

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 

cooperative work teams. 

“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. 

“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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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 

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 

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? 

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.” 

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 

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 

Members of the Hope Probe team at work 

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.” 

ISSUE 02 ISSUE 02

NASA discovers new Earth 

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. 

18 19 

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 

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. 

DISCOVER 

International Space News 

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. 

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 Kepler- 

452b. 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, 

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. 

The newly confirmed planet has caused 

such excitement among scientists on Earth 

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 

is 20% brighter and 10% larger. The planet 

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. 

ISSUE 02 ISSUE 02

DISCOVER 

20 

21 

DISCOVER 



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,” 

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.” 

New Horizons spacecraft 

9 years and three billion miles 

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 

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. 

2007-2014: For most of 

the eight-year trek from 

Jupiter to Pluto, the craft 

span slowly in a state of 

“hibernation” 

2014: Monitoring 

began 200 days 

before the closest 

approach to Pluto 

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 

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 

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. 

Jan – Feb 2006: 

Launched from 

Cape Canaveral, 

Florida 

Feb- Mar 2007: New 

Horizons passed Jupiter 

on Feb. 28, 2007 

ISSUE 02 ISSUE 02

DISCOVER 

22 

23 

DISCOVER 



Virgin Galactic tragedy blamed on pilot error 

NASA will take 

astronauts to 

an asteroid 

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. 

Russian space sureveillance station reaches full capacity 

China to build 

the biggest radio 

telescope in the 

world 

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. 

Kimiya Yui becomes the 10th Japanese man in space 

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 

thrust in comparison with the Saturn V rocket, 

which carried astronauts towards the moon 

between 1966 and 1973. 

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. 

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. 

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 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 

ISSUE 02 ISSUE 02

DISCOVER 


24 25 DISCOVER 


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. 

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. 

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. 

SpaceX gets reprieve 

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. 

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 

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 

European Space Agency 

pursues the JUICE mission 

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. 

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 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. 

launched 96 missions in nine years with not a 

single explosion. 

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. 

Space telemedicine becomes commonplace on Earth 

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”. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

ISSUE 02 ISSUE 02

INSPIRE 

Celebrating Human Endeavour 

26 27 

INSPIRE 


“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. 

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. 

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. 

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 

The Curiosity Rover exploring Mars 

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. 

“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. 

“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- 

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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“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.” 

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. 

In the memory of Abdul Kalam, India’s former 

President and greatest rocket scientist 

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. 

“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.” 

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 

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. 

community, your country, your region, and the 

world at large. 

“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. 

“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.” 

News of the UAE’s Hope Probe Mission to 

Mars has been broadcast across the world, 

and Professor Melikechi has noted with great 

“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 

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. 

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. 

This trip followed a previous successful venture 

A photo opportunity at NASA HQ 

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. 

Majarat talks to Rachida Nashef, Director of the 

Applied Technology and Technical High Schools, 

about the scientific objectives of the program. 

“A while ago, we signed an agreement with 

Emirati students work as a team to create a rover 

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, 

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. 

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. 

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.” 

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. 

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. 

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.” 

Fellow student, Moza Al Zaabi, said: “Here, in 

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. 

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.” 

According to Sheikha Mohammed, this trip was 

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.” 

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.” 

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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32 

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. 

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 

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. 

Man on the moon 

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. 

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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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 story of the first Arab 

in space 

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. 

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 non- 

American 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 NASA team were multi-national, the first time this was the case 

was opened up for an Arab to take their 

place on the Space Shuttle Discovery flight 

arranged for the 17th June, 1985. 

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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MOTIVATE 

Thought Provoking Notions 

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 

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. 

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. 

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, 

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. 

“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. 

“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.” 

ISSUE 02 ISSUE 02

MOTIVATE 


42 43 

MOTIVATE 


DHL is the number one logistics company in the world 

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 

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 

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. 

“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 

ISSUE 02 ISSUE 02

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.” 

New Horizons 

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 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. 

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. 

Voyager 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. 

45 

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 

Viking 1 

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. 

New Horizons Stats: 

Launch Date: 19th January 2006 

Cost: $650 million 



Maximum Distance from Earth: 2.8 billion miles 

Voyager 1 Stats: 

Launch Date: 5th September 1977 




Maximum Distance from Earth: 12 billion miles 

Viking 1 Stats: 

Launch Date: 20th August 1975 

Cost: $1 billion 

Mission Duration: 1,824 days 


Maximum Distance from Earth: 33.9 million miles 

ISSUE 02 ISSUE 02

46 47 

Hubble Space Telescope 

Space Shuttle Discovery 

Pioneer 10 

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. 

Hubble Space Telescope Stats: 

Launch Date: 24th April 1990 


Mission Duration: 24.5 years 

Space Agency: ESA, STScl & NASA 


Galileo 

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. 

Galileo Stats: 

Launch Date: 18th October 1989 




Maximum Distance from Earth: 490 million miles 

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. 

Space Shuttle Discovery Stats: 

Launch Date: 30th August 1984 





Vostok 1 

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. 

Vostok 1 Stats: 

Launch Date: 12th April 1961 


Mission Duration: 1 hour 48 minutes 

Space Agency: Soviet space program 


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 




Maximum Distance from Earth: 

7.46 billion miles 

ISSUE 02 ISSUE 02

INTERMISSION 

Rest, Refresh & Refuel 

48 49 INTERMISSION 

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. 

How the Mars colony might look on the Red Planet 

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. 

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. 

“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. 

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 

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. 

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. 

Collaboration Works 

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.” 

Astronauts would be required to build their own residences upon Mars, should they get there 

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. 

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.” 

ISSUE 02 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 

ISSUE 02

HAMDAN BIN MOHAMMED HAMAD AL MANSOURI PROFESSOR MELIKECHI A NEW EARTH

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