Enlarge imageThe United Arab Emirates ‘Hope probe aims to provide a year-round image of Mars’ atmosphere.
Mohammed bin Rashid Space Center
This story is part of Welcome to Mars, our series on the red planet.
This is a big week for Mars robots. The first of three missions launched last July will reach the red planet on Tuesday and you can follow live here.
The United Arab Emirates’ space mission, the Hope probe, will enter Mars orbit on Tuesday. The UAE space agency will provide live coverage starting at 7:30 a.m. PT.
We will not get live footage of the spacecraft in action, but expect to follow as the mission control follows Hope in its maneuvers and reports on what will hopefully be a successful arrival. You can monitor the progress of the probe online as it approaches its destination.
Hope has spent more than 200 days traveling from Earth to the Red Planet. It won’t make a robber, though it will adopt important science by studying the planet’s atmosphere, weather and seasons.
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Hope will soon be tracked in orbit China’s Tianwen-1 Wednesday, and NASA will take the spotlight on Feb. 18 when it tries land the Perseverance rover on the surface of the planet. It will be a dangerous and exciting moment during a busy month on Mars.
But first, all eyes are on Hope.
Follow CNET’s 2021 Space Calendar to keep up with the latest space travel news this year. You can even add it to your own Google calendar.
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