Issue 3: A Tradition of Innovation
Welcome to Backstory: Space. This is a special edition of our weekly newsletter devoted to the UAE’s upcoming mission to Mars – Mary Ames, Director of Strategy
TAKING FLIGHT
A Tradition of Innovation
Welcome back to our special series on space. Orbital dynamics. Bet that’s not a phrase you hear often. Right now, Earth and Mars are in relative orbital alignment. This means that travel time between the two planets is much shorter than usual and the probability of successful exploration missions is higher. That’s why the United States, China, and the UAE are planning their missions now. As we eagerly await lift-off of the Hope Probe, we hope good weather conditions will prevail and allow us to take advantage of this orbital window.
History of innovation: The waiting period gives us more time to reflect on the significance of the Mars mission. The Middle East has a long and vibrant history of scientific discovery and innovation. From early mathematics to decades of global exploration, science is woven into the fabric of our region. In today’s reality, this drive for scientific understanding is manifested in the creation of a viable knowledge economy that’s able to train the next generation of programmers, engineers, and thinkers.
Scientific achievement: Sending a probe to Mars is a way to strengthen that process. Hessa Al Matroushi, Emirates Mars Mission data management and analysis lead, captured the essence of this idea in an interview with Science magazine. “The experience [of working on space exploration] taught me how to be flexible, how to handle scientific data, filter it and analyze it ... This is where we see our future.” The Hope Probe has already transformed how the world views the UAE and will continue to foster an appreciation of science across society.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“Earth is a small town with many neighborhoods in a very big universe."
– Ron Garan, astronaut
SPACE VIEWS
Our writing on space: Given the pace of technological innovation over the past 10 years, every day seems to bring a new milestone. With so many advancements, have we lost control of the terms we use to describe aspiration? When the United States set the goal of sending a man to the moon in the 1960s, the boldness of the project and its extraordinary vision was accurately described as a moon shot. In this piece published by Xische, we explored the new moon shots taking place in the UAE.
The space club: When Hazza Al Mansouri lifted off from a remote Russian space facility in Kazakhstan, he carried the hopes and aspirations of a nation and a people. His mission to the International Space Station marked the UAE’s admission to the space club. In this piece published by Xische, we outlined what it means for a small country to take a seat among the most powerful nations leading human exploration of space.
A MESSAGE FROM DIGITAI
Artificial Intelligence can work for you. The pace of AI innovation is undeniable. With so many options to choose from, how can you be sure that you are making AI work for your needs? Discover what we’re doing at Digit Ai, a Xische company, to accelerate organisational capacity building that leverages AI and machine learning. Find solutions that make business sense and embrace the power of AI.
SPOTTED ELSEWHERE
A new conversation: One of the goals of the Hope Probe is to redefine how the international community understands the Middle East’s relationship to science and technology. Even before the launch of the probe, this goal has been achieved. Consider this incredible article in the New York Times detailing the Hope Probe and its evolution so far. The conversation has shifted and the image of the region is already benefiting.
Fresh takes: Thanks to advances in video and color technology, there are now a host of updated videos from previous space missions. A series of videos from Apollo 16 are particularly engrossing. These videos have enhanced 4K quality and bring the entirety of space exploration into a fresh new focus. Take a second and remind yourself just how incredible space exploration is.