UAE Mars mission: First Arab Nation To Join The ‘Fight For Space’ Alongside Japan

The Mars mission has become much more than a space exploration program. It is now the center of an international fight for space between countries like the U.S., China, Russia and many more. According to the latest news, UAE is aiming to be the first ever Islamic nation to land on Mars. Experts are speculating that soon, there will be an all-out space war, and the winner will claim the right to access space resources.

According to a recent announcement made at the Global Space Congress by the Middle Eastern country's space agency, it will launch its own Mars explorer within the next three years. The agency also declared its collaboration with Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) on Wednesday, The Daily Star reported.

"We are delighted to launch the UAE's Mars explorer by the Japanese launch vehicle H-IIA from Tanegashima Space Centre in Japan in 2020," vice president of JAXA, Yuichi Yamaura, said.

The space exploration program of UAE has been under the scanner, not because of the technical issues but on account of the religious beliefs related to it. The religious leaders in the UAE have condemned the Mars mission, because they deem it to be anti-Islam. The Islamic community has also issued a notification or "fatwa" that bans all Muslims from participating in such space programs, News.com.au reported.

According to the General Authority of Islamic Affairs and Endowment, a one-way journey to space is a death threat for the passenger, which is in violation of the basic principles of Islam.

"There is a possibility that an individual who travels to planet Mars may not be able to remain alive there, and is more vulnerable to death," the organization announced.

The website of the organization also stressed that Islam encourages exploration of the bounty of nature, and even quoted a verse form the Koran, which encourages "Muslims to go out and see the signs of God's creation in the 'heavens and the earth'."

Under these circumstances, it will be highly interesting to find out who will lead the world toward the Red Planet.