UAE lights up in red as Hope probe approaches Mars

The UAE's Hope Probe began its 493.5 million kilometre journey to the Red Planet on July 20, 2020, you can read all about the launch here.

Almost 7 months later the Hope Probe is due for arrival on Mars' this Tuesday, February 9, 2021, at 7:30 pm. In celebration of being the Arab world's first interplanetary mission to Mars, multiple landmarks across the UAE are illuminating in red, the colour of the planet itself.

The probe will gather and send back the new Mars data to the Science Data Centre in the UAE via different ground stations spread around the world.

The insights and data we gain from understanding the Martian climate will add new dimensions to human knowledge about how atmospheres work, which will help scientists and researchers evaluate distant worlds for conditions that might support life. Understanding the geographical and climate changes of Mars and the other planets will help us gain deeper insights to find solutions for key challenges facing mankind on earth.