By BlueShift | 2026-02-26

The United Arab Emirates Space Agency on February 17 announced it will be extending its Emirates Mars Mission (EMM) for a further three years, until 2028, as the Gulf state works to expand its role in the space economy.

The al-Amal (Hope) probe is the first interplanetary exploration undertaken by an Arab nation. Launched July 20, 2020, it began its orbit of the Red Planet in February 2021, where it has been studying Martian weather cycles.

The probe will continue to provide data on the Martian atmosphere, along with science, operational and mission experience for ongoing and future deep space missions, the Emirati News Agency WAM reported.

"In four years of operations, the mission exceeded all expectations," said UAE Space Agency Space Missions Department director Mohsen Al Awadhi.

It has made "vital new discoveries about the Martian atmosphere" in addition to transforming the UAE's science, technology and education landscapes, he said.

"EMM and the Hope probe have been the bedrock for the development of a fast-expanding, rich and vibrant national space and innovation ecosystem creating new skillsets and career opportunities for young Emiratis," he added.

The mission extension reflects the UAE’s commitment to maximizing the scientific value of its space investments, according to Minister of Sports and UAE Space Agency board of directors chairman Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi.

It highlights the UAE's growing role as a significant contributory partner to the global scientific community, and its dedication to leveraging space science to serve humanity and improve scientific understanding, he said.

The decision reflects confidence in the capabilities of national teams and in the probe’s technical readiness, he added, as well as reinforcing the UAE’s presence and global standing in the space sector.

Beyond Mars

The Hope probe expanded its scientific reach beyond Mars in October, capturing a series of images of comet 3I/ATLAS, in visible and ultraviolet wavelengths, using the EXI and EMUS instruments.

As the third-ever detected interstellar object to enter our solar system, 3I/ATLAS presented a rare opportunity to study the composition of other star systems.

The comet made its closest approach to Mars on October 3, passing within approximately 0.2 astronomical units (around 30 million km) of the Red Planet, giving Mars spacecraft a unique vantage point due to their proximity.

The Hope probe has supported other operations beyond its original scope, including pioneering discoveries and observations of Mars’ auroral fields, according to WAM.

It has conducted a series of flybys of the Martian moon, Deimos, that have provided a new understanding of the moon's origins, the news agency said.

The mission initially planned to collect one terabit of data on the Martian atmosphere. It ultimately collected 10 terabits, released in a series of 16 data releases to more than 200 academic and research institutions, Al Falasi said.

Emirati transformation

The Emirates Mars Mission has delivered new insights about Mars, leading to more than 35 published peer reviewed scientific papers in international journals, UAE Space Agency director general Salem Butti Al Qubaisi said.

It also has been at the core of a transformation of the Emirates’ education, science, research and innovation ecosystems, he added, creating the potential for tens of thousands of new career opportunities in the space sector.

The UAE is now hoping to "be one of the 10 biggest" players in the space economy by 2031, Al Falasi told AFP.

"As a space agency our role the first 10 years was just setting up the foundation, so it's predominantly government funded, but right now we're seeing private sector getting involved," he added.

"The next mission to (the) asteroid belt, we've allocated 50% of the budget for the private sector," he said.

The billion-dollar Emirates Mission to the Asteroid Belt, scheduled for 2028, aims to launch an unmanned spacecraft that will travel five billion km to explore the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.