by The United Arab Emirates’ Hope Probe is due to enter Mars’ orbit today, in the countries first mission to the red planet.
The probe, which was launched in July 2020 and has had a smooth seven-month cruise, will orbit the planet and send back data about the atmosphere, aiming to provide a complete picture of the Martian atmosphere for the first time, studying daily and seasonal changes.
The Emirates Mars Mission has cost $200 million, according to Minister for Advanced Sciences Sarah Amiri.
The UAE first announced plans for the mission in 2014 and launched a National Space Programme in 2017 to develop local expertise.
It has an ambitious plan for a Mars settlement by 2117. Hazza al-Mansouri became the first Emirati in space last September when he flew to the International Space Station.
