UAE’s HOPE probe mission to Mars

UAE’s HOPE probe mission to Mars

Part of: GS Prelims and Mains III – Science and Technology – Space related issues 

In news: 

• The first Arab space mission to Mars, an unmanned probe dubbed “Hope” took off from Japan. 
• The Hope Mission aims to reveal more about the atmosphere of the Red Planet. 
• The Japanese rocket carrying the probe off from the Tanegashima Space Centre in southwestern Japan. 
• “Hope” is expected to enter Mars orbit by February 2021, marking the year of the 50th anniversary of the unification of the UAE, an alliance of seven emirates. 

Other MARS ventures planned in 2020 

• Tianwen­1 from China 
• Mars 2020 from the United States 

Unlike the two other Mars ventures scheduled for this year, it will not land on the Red Planet, but instead orbit it for a whole Martian year, or 687 days. 

Do you know? 

• The launch of the probe, known as “Al­Amal” in Arabic, had twice been delayed because of bad weather. 
• Only the United States, India, the former Soviet Union, and the European Space Agency have successfully sent missions to orbit the fourth planet from the sun. 
• China is preparing to launch its first Mars rover later this month.