Which among the following became the first Arab Nation to launch the Mars Mission in July, 2020 ?
- (a)Saudi Arabia
- (b)Kuwait
- (c)United Arab Emirates
- (d)Qatar
Correct — C, the United Arab Emirates. The UAE's Emirates Mars Mission, with its 'Hope' probe (Al-Amal), was launched on 19-20 July 2020 aboard a Japanese H-IIA rocket from the Tanegashima Space Center. It made the UAE the first Arab and West Asian country to send a mission to Mars; the probe entered Mars orbit on 9 February 2021, making the UAE the fifth space agency to reach Mars — and the first to do so on its maiden attempt among Arab nations.
- (a)Saudi Arabia — Saudi Arabia has a space programme and satellites, but it did not launch a Mars mission; the first Arab Mars mission was the UAE's Hope probe.
- (b)Kuwait — Kuwait had no Mars mission in July 2020; it is not the answer.
- (d)Qatar — Qatar did not launch a Mars mission; the Arab-world first belongs to the UAE.
July 2020 saw a rare 'Mars launch window' (when Earth-Mars alignment minimises fuel), and three missions left within days: the UAE's Hope orbiter, China's Tianwen-1 (orbiter-lander-rover), and NASA's Perseverance rover. Hope's role is scientific — studying the Martian atmosphere, weather and the loss of hydrogen and oxygen to space.
The question turns on 'first Arab nation'. The distractors are all Gulf/Arab states, but only the UAE built and launched a Mars probe (developed with US university partners and launched from Japan). Anchor 'first Arab Mars mission = UAE Hope (Al-Amal), July 2020'.
- UAE's Emirates Mars Mission 'Hope' (Al-Amal) launched 19-20 July 2020
- Launched on a Japanese H-IIA rocket from Tanegashima Space Center, Japan
- First Arab / West Asian mission to Mars; entered Mars orbit 9 Feb 2021
- Part of the July-2020 Mars window along with China's Tianwen-1 and NASA's Perseverance
- Assuming a large, oil-rich Gulf state like Saudi Arabia must be the answer — it is the UAE
- Confusing the launcher's country (Japan) with the mission's owner (UAE)
Current-affairs 'first/which country' recalls — tie the milestone (first Arab Mars mission) to the nation (UAE), the probe name (Hope/Al-Amal) and the month/year (July 2020).
Consider the following statements: The Mangalyaan launched by ISRO 1. Is also called the Mars Orbiter Mission 2. Made India the second country to have a spacecraft orbit the Mars after USA 3. Made India the only country to be successful in making its spacecraft orbit the Mars in its very first attempt. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- (a) 1 only
- (b) 2 and 3 only
- (c) 1 and 3 only
- (d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer(c) 1 and 3 only
Same concept — Mars missions. UPPSC tests the UAE's first Arab Mars mission (2020); UPSC tests India's Mangalyaan, which reached Mars orbit on its very first attempt.
- practice — not a real PYQ
The 'Hope' (Al-Amal) probe, the first Arab interplanetary mission, was launched by which country?
- (a)Qatar
- (b)United Arab Emirates
- (c)Saudi Arabia
- (d)Egypt
Answer(b) United Arab Emirates — the Emirates Mars Mission 'Hope', launched July 2020.
- practice — not a real PYQ
India's first interplanetary mission, the Mars Orbiter Mission (Mangalyaan), was launched by ISRO in which year?
- (a)2008
- (b)2013
- (c)2016
- (d)2019
Answer(b) 2013 — launched November 2013, it reached Mars orbit in September 2014 on India's first attempt.