The United Arab Emirates has successfully reached Mars orbit in a historic endeavor for an Arab probe embarking on such a journey.
According to Reuters today, the UAE achieved its first mission to the red planet. At exactly 7:42 AM (UAE time), the Hope Probe entered Mars orbit, marking a moment that encapsulates six years of diligent work by a complete team of Emirati engineers who dedicated 5.5 million working hours. The probe, launched at a speed of 121,000 km/h, reduced its speed through a 27-minute reverse thrust to reach an estimated speed of 18,000 km/h, successfully entering Mars orbit after a seven-month journey. This milestone allows the UAE to begin sending data about the Martian atmosphere and climate.
This makes the UAE the fifth space agency to reach the planet and the first Arab probe to undertake interplanetary travel. The Mars program is part of the UAE's efforts to develop its scientific and technological capabilities and reduce its reliance on oil. The probe is expected to capture the first complete image of the Martian atmosphere, alongside its three scientific instruments, and will gather various data points about the atmosphere to measure seasonal and daily changes.
This information will provide scientists with insights into the dynamics of climate and weather at different layers of Mars's atmosphere, shedding light on how energy and particles, such as oxygen and hydrogen, move through the atmosphere and how they escape from Mars. The "Hope Probe" mission is one of three missions launched from Earth last July, alongside NASA's "Perseverance" rover and China's "Tianwen-1" mission.
While the Hope Probe orbits the planet, Tianwen-1 will orbit and land on Mars, while Perseverance will land on the Martian surface. All three missions were launched around the same time due to the alignment between Mars and Earth on the same side of the Sun, making the journey to Mars more efficient. While the Hope Probe is the first of these missions to reach Mars, Tianwen-1 is expected to arrive on February 10 and Perseverance on February 18.
