The United Arab Emirates on Monday launched a rocket to Mars, part of a program to develop its scientific and technological capabilities. The Hope Probe blasted off from Japan’s Tanegashima Space Center for a seven-month journey to survey the Red Planet, which it will orbit and send back data about its atmosphere. The probe was initially due to launch on July 14, but was delayed twice due to bad weather. Just over an hour after launch, it deployed solar panels to power its systems and established radio communication with the mission on Earth. There are eight active missions exploring Mars; some orbit the planet and some have landed on its surface. China and the United States each plan to send another this year.