The UAE’s Hope probe will soon perform the first of two manoeuvres to get closer to its science orbit around Mars.
The spacecraft, which reached the Red Planet on February 9, will begin its mission of collecting atmospheric data once it enters the target orbit in April.
On March 23, at 1am Gulf Standard Time, the probe will fire its thrusters for eight to nine minutes to correct its positioning.
For the past few weeks, Hope has been travelling as close as 1,063 kilometres to Mars’ planetary surface and as far away as 42,461 km.
The goal is to reach an elliptical science orbit of 20,000 km to 43,000 km, where it can then spend two years gathering data.
“Our Mars orbit insertion was highly successful and precisely targeted and this has allowed us to plan a reduction in transition to science manoeuvres, and also to move to our science orbit ahead of schedule,” said Omran Sharaf, team leader of the mission.
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Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, and Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, meet the Hope Probe team, after its successful entry into the orbit of Mars, at Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre. Seen with Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, and Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs. Mohamed Al Hammadi / Ministry of Presidential Affairs -
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, and Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, meet the Hope Probe team. Mohamed Al Hammadi / Ministry of Presidential Affairs -
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, and Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, at Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre. Also there are Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, and Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs. Rashid Al Mansoori / Ministry of Presidential Affairs -
Sheikh Saif bin Zayed, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, and Mohammed Abdulla Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs, at Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre. Mohamed Al Hammadi / Ministry of Presidential Affairs -
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, and Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, meet the Hope Probe team, after its successful entry into the orbit of Mars, at Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre. Rashid Al Mansoori / Ministry of Presidential Affairs -
Members of Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre participate during the arrival of the Hope Probe in the orbit of Mars. Mohamed Al Hammadi / Ministry of Presidential Affairs -
Member of Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre participates during the arrival of the Hope Probe in the orbit of Mars. Rashid Al Mansoori / Ministry of Presidential Affairs -
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice-President and Ruler of Dubai, and Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, Sheikh Saif bin Zayed, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Zayed, Mohammed Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs, Talal Humaid Belhoul Al Falasi, Vice President of Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre and Hamad Obaid Al Mansoori, Director-General of the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority, witness the arrival of the Hope Probe in the orbit of Mars, at Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre. Rashid Al Mansoori / Ministry of Presidential Affairs -
Mohammed Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs, Talal Humaid Belhoul Al Falasi, Vice President of Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre, and Hamad Obaid Al Mansoori, Director-General of the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority, witness the arrival of the Hope Probe in the orbit of Mars, at Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre. Ismaeel Al Zaher / Ministry of Presidential Affairs -
Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Zayed, witnesses the arrival of the Hope Probe in the orbit of Mars, at Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre. Rashid Al Mansoori / Ministry of Presidential Affairs -
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, Sheikh Saif bin Zayed, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, and Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Zayed, witness the arrival of the Hope Probe in the orbit of Mars, at Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre. Ismaeel Al Zaher / Ministry of Presidential Affairs -
Khaldoon Al Mubarak, chief executive and managing director of Mubadala Investment Company, and Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Tahnoon, witness the arrival of the Hope Probe in the orbit of Mars, at Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre. Ismaeel Al Zaher / Ministry of Presidential Affairs
“We will commence science data gathering earlier in April than we had originally planned, and I think it’s fair to say there is huge excitement now in our science team and among Mars scientists around the world.”
The strategic orbital placement will allow the spacecraft to complete one full circle around the planet every 55 hours and capture a full planetary data sample every nine days.
Hope’s three scientific instruments, the Emirates eXploration Imager (EXI) – a high-resolution camera and an ultraviolet and infrared spectrometer, will capture data.
Several high-resolution, infrared and ultraviolet photos were released earlier this month that measured gases present in the Martian atmosphere.
Hope will study why gases crucial to life are escaping from the atmosphere. It will also trace movement of energy through the atmosphere and the planet’s weather dynamics.
The last manoeuvre before it enters its science orbit is scheduled for April 6.
All images and science data gathered by the UAE Mars Mission are being uploaded online.
