A Japanese H-IIA rocket carrying a United Arab Emirates Mars spacecraft has been placed on the launchpad for Monday's scheduled liftoff for the Arab world's first interplanetary mission, officials said Sunday.
The launch of the orbiter - named Amal, or Hope - from Tanegashima Space Center on a small southern Japanese island was initially scheduled for this past Wednesday, but was delayed due to bad weather in the region.
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, the provider of the H-IIA rocket, announced Sunday that the launch would proceed at 6:58 a.m. Monday (2158 GMT Sunday). The preparation has been completed, and the rocket is now on the launch pad, Mitsubishi said.