The first Arab space mission to Mars is preparing to lift off within weeks.
BBC News reports fuelling is due to begin next week.
It will take seven months to travel the 493 million km to reach Mars and begin its orbit, sending back ground-breaking new data about its climate and atmosphere.
The probe will remain orbiting Mars for an entire Martian year, 687 days, to gather sufficient data.
A single orbit around Mars will take the probe 55 hours.
Named Amal, meaning Hope, the unmanned craft is due to lift off from a remote Japanese island, Tanegashima, during a narrow launch window on 14 July.
[Source: BBC]
