UAE 화성 탐사선 '아말' 성공<br /><br />The United Arab Emirates successfully launched a probe to Mars on Monday.<br />This marks the beginning of a seven-month, two-hundred-eight million kilometer journey as well as the country's first steps towards making significant technological advancements.<br />Our Kim Do-yeon has the details.<br />The United Arab Emirates successfully launched its mission to Mars on Monday.<br />The spacecraft named "Amal", meaning Hope in Arabic, left Japan's Tanegashima Space Center at seven AM local time, after being delayed twice due to bad weather.<br />The launch marked a milestone in the UAE's advancement of science and technology... in fact, it is the first interplanetary mission from an Arab nation.<br />The team on Earth waited patiently for about an hour until connection with the spacecraft was established.<br />But, despite the success, the team said they still have a long way to go.<br />"Proud, happy, exhausted, scared. I mean, we're not done, it's just 30 percent after the launch, you know, you have a journey to Mars, seven months journey, and then you have the Mars orbit insertion, a very critical phase of the project"<br />When the spacecraft eventually reaches Mars in March 2021... the year the UAE celebrates its 50th anniversary as a Sovereign State... the goal is to get a complete picture of the atmosphere on Mars and, for the first time ever, provide thorough details of the planet's daily and seasonal changes.<br />The mission, which has cost around 200 million U.S. dollars according to the Minister for Advanced Sciences of UAE, was first announced five years ago.<br />After which, a space program was established in 2017 to develop local expertise with the intention of making advancements in science and technology...and to reduce the reliance on oil.<br />Already, the country has been able to send its first astronaut to the International Space Station for an eight-day mission.<br />There is also an aim to be able to settle on Mars by the year 2117.<br />Kim Do-yeon, Arirang News.<br />
