Emirates Mars Mission satellite reaches Mars orbit Robert Lillis/Courtesy The Emirates Mars Mission, the first interplanetary exploration undertaken by an Arab nation, reached Mars’ orbit Tuesday morning. The Space Sciences Laboratory at UC Berkeley is a partner in the collaboration. Last Updated February 10, 2021 In collaboration with UC Berkeley’s Space Sciences Laboratory, or SSL, the Emirates Mars Mission entered the planet’s orbit Tuesday morning after being launched last summer. The mission is the first space exploration to be launched by an Arab nation and is headed by the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre, or MBRSC, in the United Arab Emirates, according to a Berkeley News press release. The mission was also done in collaboration with other U.S. research institutions, such as the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics at the University of Colorado Boulder and Arizona State University.