Hope realised as UAE reaches for the stars

The successful launch of the UAE’s Hope Mars orbiter from Japan marked an historic moment, not just for the emirates, but for the whole of the region.In this week’s podcast we hear first hand from the Director-General of the UAE’s Space Agency, Dr Mohammed Al Ahbabi, and get the inside track from space editor Steve Nichols about the nerve-wracking moments when things looked like they might not go as planned.And this week should have been Farnborough Air Show, instead the organisers held a virtual conference with the region well represented.Alan Peaford interviewed low cost carrier Wizz Air’s CEO Jozsef Varadi for the event and also took time out to talk to the Hungarian boss about his aspirations for Abu Dhabi.And while Covid-19 has been the ongoing talking point for months, the issue of sustainability has not gone away, and Etihad Airways CEO explains how the UAE flag carrier is mounting a serious series of actions to turn the air green.This, plus all the news from across the region.