Mars Mission From U.A.E. to Arrive and Orbit Red Planet

Mars Mission From U.A.E. to Arrive and Orbit Red Planet

Missions to MarsMeet the SpacecraftNASA's DestinationLanding in One PieceToo Much Mars?Mars Mission From the U.A.E. Prepares to Orbit Red PlanetThe Hope spacecraft will fire its engines on Tuesday, aiming to be grappled by the planet's gravity and begin its atmospheric science studies.The United Arab Emirates' Mars Hope spacecraft, which was launched in July 2020.Credit...Emirates Mars MissionBy Kenneth ChangFeb. 9, 2021, 3:00 a.m. ETThe first in a parade of three new visitors to Mars arrives Tuesday when a robotic probe named Hope, the first interplanetary mission undertaken by an Arab nation, is to enter orbit.For people in the United Arab Emirates, just getting there has become a source of pride. Over the weekend, a number of prominent buildings and monuments in the wealthy oil country, which is about the size of Maine, were lit up in red in honor of Mars, the red planet.“From the U.A.E. government's perspective, basically 90 percent of this mission has been achieved successfully,” said Omran Sharaf, the project manager of Hope.For the remaining 10 percent, there is now little to do but watch and wait as the spacecraft executes instructions already loaded into its computer.Sarah al-Amiri, who leads the science portion of the mission, said she