UAE plans to launch Mars probe Friday after weather delay

Dubai (AFP) - The United Arab Emirates said it plans to launch its "Hope" Mars probe on Friday local time from Japan's Tanegashima Space Center after a two-day delay due to poor weather there. A rocket is due to blast off at 5:43 am local time (2043 GMT Thursday) carrying the unmanned spacecraft that is bound to orbit the Red Planet in the Arab world's first interplanetary mission. The launch was postponed from 2051 GMT Tuesday because of inclement  weather at the remote Japanese launch site, but remains well within the launch window which runs until August 13. The Emirati project is one of three...

Read More