UAE Mars mission: Hope project a 'real step forward for exploration'
UAE Mars mission: Hope project a 'real step forward for exploration' The first Arab space mission to Mars is preparing to lift off within weeks. Fuelling is due to begin next week. It will take seven months to travel the 493 million km (308 million miles) to reach Mars and begin its orbit, sending back ground-breaking new data about its climate and atmosphere.climatemarsLINK