GRADE-9 UAE SST

VISION-2021 Competitive knowledge Economy

Key vocabulary:
ISECG- The International Space Exploration Coordination Group .
The Mars Hope Probe
The Emirates Mars Mission called “Hope” was announced in 2015 with the aim of creating robust
growth in Competitive Knowledge Economy. The mission was announced by Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed
Al Nahyan, the President of the United Arab Emirates, in July 2014 to send a spacecraft to orbit Mars in
the year 2021 to coincide with UAE’s 50th anniversary. The space craft ‘Amal’ or Hope’ was designed and
developed by scientists and engineers of Dubai Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Space Centre. It marks
the beginning and legacy on Earth as part of a vast investment a national effort to build a space industry
in UAE.
ISECG:
UAE is the member of “The International Space Exploration Coordination Group” which seeks to promote
cooperation in space exploration and to help humanity benefits from the exploration of space from level of
LEO (Low Earth Orbit).

Astrolabe
An instrument used by Arab astronomers to make detailed observation of the planets. It was also used as a
navigational tool by Arab mariners to calculate the latitudinal and longitudinal location of the ships and
mainly to calculate prayer times and the days of Ramadan . After the arrival of Portuguese in early 1500
Emirati Mariner Ahmed bin Majed became aware that Europeans’ inability to determine the latitude of their
position. It was from Islamic spain (AL –Andalus) astrolabe was introduced to Europeans in the early 12th
century. One of the earliest preserved astrolabe can be seen in Abu Dhabi Louvre Museum.

Question Bank:

1. Name the Emirates Mars Mission.

2. When and who announced the mission ‘Amal’.

3. State the role of Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Space Centre in mars mission.
4. Define ISECG.
5. List the various uses of Astrolabe.

6. Where can one see the oldest preserved Astrolabe in UAE.