Abu Dhabi : The United Arab Emirates Space Agency has announced the extension of the Emirates Mars Mission – the Hope Probe – for an additional three years until 2028, in light of the mission’s successes and the continued efficient operation of its scientific instruments, allowing the ongoing collection of precise data on Mars’ atmosphere and climate.
Dr. Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi, Minister of Sports and Chairman of the Board of the UAE Space Agency, said that the extension reflects the UAE’s commitment to maximising the scientific impact of its space investments and strengthening its role as an active partner in the global scientific community. He added that the mission represents a long-term strategic choice supporting the building of a sustainable knowledge economy and the development of national talent.
He explained that since entering Mars’ orbit in 2021, the Hope Probe has contributed to expanding the national space ecosystem, with a rise in the number of entities operating in the sector and a doubling of specialised academic programmes in aerospace engineering between 2015 and 2025.
The Hope Probe continues to operate its scientific instruments, including the Emirates eXploration Imager (EXI), the Emirates Mars InfraRed Spectrometer (EMIRS), and the Emirates Mars Ultraviolet Spectrometer (EMUS), to collect precise scientific data. In October 2025, it observed the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS, marking a new scientific achievement that enhances its contribution to astronomical studies.
Since its launch, the probe has released more than 10 terabytes of open scientific data in 16 public data releases, published over 35 peer-reviewed scientific papers, and contributed to the development of dozens of Emirati students while participating in hundreds of international events and conferences.
