Former NASA scientist Charles Elachi who is advising the UAE on its Mars mission, hopes the project will inspire young scientists in the Middle East.
The Lebanese-American scientist who retired as director of the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, is a member of the UAE Space Agency Advisory Board.
The Emirate’s Mars Hope Mission is expected to blast off on July 14.
“This will be the first time a Middle Eastern country will be sending a spacecraft you know to Mars,” Elachi, who managed the launch of the Spirit and Opportunity Mars rovers, told Arab News.
“I’m seeing more and more interest in activities of young people in the Middle East who want to be involved in space,” Elachi said. “By having space agencies in the Middle East like in Saudi Arabia or United Arab Emirates gives them an opportunity to actually do that.”
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