UAE’s Hope probe first in trio of Mars missions. US, China and UAE all launched projects to Mars last July
The United Arab Emirates ‘Hope’ probe reached Mars on Tuesday, making it the first Arab country and fifth in the world to reach the red planet.
The ground control team at the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre in Dubai erupted in cheers as the country’s first-ever interplanetary mission has successfully reached orbit around Mars.
The Emirates Mars Mission “Hope Probe” will be the first probe to provide a complete picture of the Martian atmosphere and its layers when it reaches the red planet’s orbit in 2021. The mission will help answer key questions about the global Martian atmosphere.
“The entry of the Hope Probe into the orbit of Mars is a significant accomplishment in our nation’s history. This achievement was made possible by the Emirati pioneers whose work will inspire future scientists and engineers for generations” said Abu Dhabi’s Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
The spacecraft, dubbed Hope, launched July 19, 2020, atop a Japanese H-IIA rocket, then spent seven months trekking to the Red Planet.
Emirates Mars Mission highlights:
- Name: Hope Probe
- Launched: July 20, 2020
- Launch location: Tanegashima Space Centre, Japan
- Cruising distance: 493.5 million kms
- Mission duration: One Martian Year (about 2 Earth years)
- Cost: $200 million
US and China missions to reach Mars soon
UAE’s Hope probe was the first of three spacecraft to arrive at the red planet this month. The United States, China and the UAE all launched projects to Mars last July, taking advantage of a period when the Earth and Mars are nearest.
With Hope probe, UAE joined the distinguished club of Mars explorers which includes the United States, the former Soviet Union, India and the European Space Agency.
