First photo of Mars from UAE’s ‘Hope’ space probe

Probe expected to spend two years in orbit, studying planet’s atmosphere
Success of mission makes UAE the fifth country to reach Mars

Space

Agencies

Published: 9:37am, 15 Feb 2021

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The United Arab Emirates has published the first image for its Mars probe now circling the red planet.

The picture, taken Wednesday, shows sunlight just coming across the surface of Mars. It shows Mars’ north pole, as well as Mars’ largest volcano, Olympus Mons.

The image comes from its “Amal”, or “Hope”, space probe.

The probe swung into orbit around Mars on Tuesday in a triumph for the Arab world’s first interplanetary mission.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, UAE prime minister and Dubai’s ruler, shared the coloured image on Twitter on Sunday.

An illustration of the Hope Mars probe. Photo: EPA

“The first picture of Mars captured by the first-ever Arab probe in history,” he wrote.

The mission is designed to reveal the secrets of Martian weather, but the UAE also wants it to serve as an inspiration for the region’s youth.

China’s Tianwen-1 Mars probe goes into red planet orbit

Hope became the first of three spacecraft to arrive at the Red Planet this month after China and the US also launched missions in July, taking advantage of a period when the Earth and Mars are nearest.

On Friday, China’s space agency released video footage from its spacecraft circling Mars, two days after it successfully entered the planet’s orbit.

The five-tonne Tianwen-1 - which translates as “Questions to Heaven” - includes a Mars orbiter, a lander and a solar-powered rover and launched from southern China last July.

Tianwen-1 launched around the same time as a rival US mission, and is expected to touch down on the surface of the planet in May.

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China releases first footage of Tianwen-1 probe entering Mars’ orbit

Nasa’s Perseverance, which is set to touch down on the Red Planet on February 18, will become the fifth rover to complete the voyage since 1997 - and all so far have been American.

The UAE’s venture was timed to mark the 50th anniversary of the unification of the nation’s seven emirates.

“Hope” will orbit the Red Planet for at least one Martian year, or 687 days, using three scientific instruments to monitor the Martian atmosphere.

It is expected to begin transmitting more information back to Earth in September 2021, with the data available for scientists around the world to study.

Associated Press and Agence France-Presse