UAE’s Mars Mission ‘Hope’ probe sends first photo of planet’s surface

Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum on Sunday shared the first picture of Mars' surface captured by the United Arab Emirates’ “Hope” probe.

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“The first picture of Mars captured by the first-ever Arab probe in history, 25,000 km above the Red Planet’s surface,” the Sheikh Mohammed, who is also Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, said in a tweet.

The UAE made history last week by becoming the first Arab nation, and the fifth worldwide, to send a probe to Mars.

In July 2020, the United States, China, and the UAE sent spacecraft to Mars, with the UAE being the first of the three to reach the planet. It also marks the first interplanetary mission to ever be launched by an Arab country.

The spacecraft, which is unmanned, was sent in an effort to explore the planet’s climatic dynamics in both daily and seasonable timescales. The mission will take place for a full Martian year which amounts to 687 earth days, UAE news agency WAM reported.

Read more:

'Mission accomplished': UAE Hope Probe successfully enters Mars orbit

Hope Probe: UAE visitors to receive ‘Martian Ink’ passport stamp upon arrival

Saudi Arabia’s Prince Sultan bin Salman congratulates UAE on Mars Hope Probe