UAE landmarks turn red in celebration of momentous Mars mission
Dubai Frame and the Museum of the Future among the structures that will light up in final days of Hope probe's journey to the Red Planet
Global Village in Dubai is bathed in red light ahead of the Hope probe's arrival in Martian orbit on Tuesday evening. Pictures by AP / EPA / Dubai Media Office
Emirates Palace is lit up on Friday night
The Dubai Frame in Downtown Dubai
Dubai Canal'a waterfall is illuminated. EPA
A slow exposure with zoom effect picture shows Dubai Canal illuminated. EPA
Residents watch the light show in Business Bay. AP
W Abu Dhabi Yas Island pictured from across the marina
The Museum of the Future in Dubai. EPA
Some of Sharjah's most impressive public landmarks were part of the show
Ajman Museum pictured this weekend
The Gate building at Dubai International Financial Centre
The Burj Al Arab in Dubai
Fujairah fort is pictured at the weekend
Fujairah mall is bathed in red
A stairway in Sharjah turns red ahead of the arrival of the Hope Probe.
Ferrari World Abu Dhabi turns red ahead of the arrival of the Hope Probe.
RAK municipality building
Roads and bridges in Sharjah
National Museum of Ras Al Khaimah
Dubai's Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest skyscraper, showing a countdown to February 9 and the probe's arrival in Mars' orbit. Image: AFP
A view of Bluewaters Island and the Ain Dubai Ferris wheel. Image: AFP
Landmarks in the UAE are on red alert for the Hope probe's historic journey to Mars.
Dubai Frame, the emirate's Museum of the Future, Dubai Canal and Dhayah Fort in Ras Al Khaimah are among the attractions that will be bathed in red each night until the probe's planned arrival in Mars orbit on February 9.
The Hope probe will attempt to enter the Red Planet's orbit at 7.42pm GST, in the Arab world's maiden mission to Mars.
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While the mission has gone smoothly since its launch on July 20 last year, the most challenging part of the journey is fast approaching.
Statistics show that only 50 per cent of Mars missions succeed, with orbit insertion being one of the most complex stages.
It requires the spacecraft to decelerate incredibly quickly to be captured by the planet’s gravity. Because of an 11-minute communication delay between mission control and the orbiter, Hope will carry out the process autonomously.
The craft will use its six thrusters to propel itself into the orbit, but if two or more of the thrusters fail during the attempt, it will mean mission failure. Hope has only one shot at orbit insertion.
The National visits Dubai's mission control – in pictures
'The National' visited mission control at Dubai's Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre to learn how engineers are preparing for Hope probe's Mars orbit insertion, set for February 9. All photos by Chris Whiteoak / The National
Omar Abdelrahman Hussain, mission design and navigation lead, said mission team will mostly be observers on the day. There is an 11-minute communication delay because of the distance between the two planets, so live commands will not be sent
The Hope probe is close to completing a distance of 493.5 million kilometres. It launched on July 20, 2020 aboard a Japanese rocket and will study the upper and lower atmosphere of the Red Planet. Emirates Mars Mission
Pre-programmed manoeuvers have been set into the spacecraft so it can perform an automated entry into orbit
The programming includes firing the probe's six thrusters for 28 minutes to slow it down from about 100,000 kph to 18,000 kph to get captured into Mars' orbit
There will also be a brief period when communication is lost when the spacecraft travels behind Mars, blocking the signal. Engineers will do a full evaluation of how orbit entry went once contact is restored
Khalid Mohammad Badri, instrument science engineer, said the scientific instruments aboard the spacecraft will remain safe during orbit entry and will be tested after completion of this critical stage
All communication with the probe has been made possible through Nasa's Deep Space Network. Their massive ground radio arrays in California, Spain and Australia are the first to send and receive telemetry from the spacecraft. The antenna in Madrid will be the first to know how orbit entry went
Mahmood Abdulaziz AlNasser, mission operations control development lead, said the team remains confident the orbit entry will go as planned. This stage is equally challenging as the rocket launch stage
The probe will spend 40 hours in the capture orbit and then be transferred into the science orbit, where it will spend two years gathering data on the planet's dynamic weather conditions. It is the first time a spacecraft will be positioned so high above the Red Planet, allowing it to capture different weather patterns throughout a single day. Nasa
If orbit entry is successful, the UAE will become the fifth nation worlwide to reach Mars