Live: UAE’s Hope Probe less than 50,000km away from Mars

The UAE will reach the furthest point in space in Arab history as the Hope Probe makes its grand entry to the Red Planet today at 7.42pm. The Mars Orbit Insertion, which lasts a nail-biting 27 ‘dark’ minutes, is the most critical aspect of the mission that will determine its success.

Stay tuned to Khaleej Times and our social media channels for live updates, videos, bytes and analyses.

Do check out our interactive that will help you explore the Red Planet.

3:38pm

Hope Probe has placed UAE among major space powers: French Space Centre chief

In an exclusive interview, the president of the French Space Centre, Jean-Yves Le Gall said that the UAE’s mission to Mars places the country among the elite global powers in the field of space sciences, stressing that France has been following the UAE’s Mars mission very closely. Read more

#HopeProbe places #UAE among world’s major space powers, says President of #French space agency #ArabsToMars#WamNews
Read More: https://t.co/f7wtJbaQHM pic.twitter.com/PFhNOUp8zx

— WAM English (@WAMNEWS_ENG) February 9, 2021

3:30pm

Look: Traffic signs light up with Hope Probe

Smart traffic signs in Abu Dhabi have lit up with the logo of the Emirates Mars Mission. Have a look:

Look: Traffic signs light up with #HopeProbe
Smart traffic signs in #AbuDhabi have lit up with the logo of the Emirates Mars Mission. Have a look: https://t.co/BaxRT3dfMG@HopeMarsMission @MBRSpaceCentre @uaespaceagency @DXBMediaOffice @ITCAbuDhabi @admediaoffice @ADPoliceHQ pic.twitter.com/23f6zFWIfE

— Khaleej Times (@khaleejtimes) February 9, 2021

3:10pm

UAE’s Hope Probe less than 50,000km away from Mars

The UAE’s Hope Probe is less than 50,000km away from the Red Planet, according to its live tracker. As at 3.10pm, the Emirati probe has covered a mind-boggling 481-million-km. It will reach the Martian orbit at 7.42pm tonight.

It is currently travelling at a speed of 77,000kmph. In order to be successfully captured in the Martian orbit, the spacecraft will have to fire six Delta V thrusters for 27 minutes to slow down the speed to 18,000kmph.

2:55pm

Photos: Landmarks across the Arab world turn red

The Hope Probe will become the first Arab country to successfully put a probe on Mars. Take a look at all the different landmarks across the region that are expressing their unity with the UAE today.

2:50pm

4 videos you must watch to know all about the UAE’s Mars mission

The UAE will create history today when it becomes the first Arab country and the fifth in the world to put a probe on Mars. The country is all set to accomplish the feat at exactly 7.42pm tonight, February 9. We have hand-picked four videos that will bring you up to speed on the probe’s 495-million-km journey.

2:30pm

Isro expects Hope Probe’s success

Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro), which had successfully sent a spacecraft to Mars in 2014, has “a positive outlook” on the Hope Probe’s success, which “will expand the global team that can coordinate and jointly plan future missions to Mars.” A senior scientist at Isro said on Tuesday, “It is an exciting opportunity as the UAE’s Hope mission approaches Mars for an orbit injection. The successful approach to Mars provides renewed confidence in the upcoming phases of the mission.”

1:40pm

‘Hope Probe to help unravel Martian atmosphere’s mysteries’

The new data from the Emirates Mars Mission, known as the Hope Probe, will help scientists understand the planetary mysteries and support future missions, according to Abu Dhabi-based researcher scientists and experts. Dimitra Atri, a research scientist at the Centre for Space Science at the New York University Abu Dhabi (Nyuad), said the data from the Hope Probe would complement the university’s ongoing research with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (Nasa) Red Planet missions.

1:30pm

UAE Hope Probe will orbit Mars for four years

When the UAE’s Hope Probe successfully enters the Martian orbit tonight — it will start its mission of observing the red planet’s climate for 687 Earth days. But, according to an expert in the Mars mission team, the orbiter’s service life will last for four years. Read here

1:09pm

Sheikh Mohammed explains why Mars Probe is named ‘Hope’

The late UAE founder Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan was the hope of the Emirates and the UAE is the hope for the region. This is why the UAE named its Mars mission as Hope Probe, said His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. In details

.. .. .. .. #__ pic.twitter.com/QbSt7xqqtU

— HH Sheikh Mohammed (@HHShkMohd) February 8, 2021

1pm

UAE’s Hope mission to Mars: Detailed interactive

Today, the Hope probe will finally complete a seven-month journey to the Red Planet.

12: 50pm

Hope Probe reaches Mars today: Here’s what happens next

The UAE’s Hope Probe will finally complete a seven-month journey to the Red Planet and arrive at Mars — the first of three space missions attempting to do so this month. Entering another critical phase in the mission, it will attempt the Mars Orbit Insertion — a process that will take a nail-biting 27 minutes with experts predicting a 50 per cent success rate. A lot of firsts are being marked with the success of the UAE’s mission. Here’s what to expect going forward. Read more

12: 40pm

What to expect during Hope Probe’s ‘half an hour of terror’

The Hope mission, UAE’s first interplanetary mission, is reaching the most crucial point in its mission today, and people around the world are waiting with high expectations. Read more

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