UAE postpones Mars mission due to weather at Japan launch site

Employees work at the control room of the Mars Mission at the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre. Credit: AFP

The United Arab Emirates has postponed the launch of its mission to Mars due to weather conditions at the launch site in Japan, the UAE government communications office said on Tuesday.

A new launch date in July will be announced soon, the statement on Twitter said.

The UAE's Hope Probe was due to launch from Japan's Tanegashima Space Center at 12.51am UAE time on Wednesday (20.51 GMT Tuesday) for a seven-month journey to the red planet where it was due to orbit and send back data about the atmosphere.