Hope, the Arab world’s first interplanetary voyage, has hit the 100-million kilometre mark as it enters the fifth week of its journey towards Mars.
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, took to Twitter to announce the milestone by sharing two images taken by the spacecraft’s star-tracking cameras.
“The Hope probe is officially 100 million kilometres into its journey to the Red Planet,” tweeted Sheikh Mohammed. “Mars, as demonstrated in the image captured by the probe’s Star Tracker, is ahead of us, leaving Saturn and Jupiter behind.”
After a historic lift-off from Japan’s Tanegashima Space Centre late last month, al-Amal or Hope, represents one of several scientific advances made by The UAE Space Agency.
It’s primary mission is to provide the first-ever complete picture of the Martian atmosphere by collecting valuable data about weather patterns including the massive dust storms that are known to encircle the planet.
The probe is expected to reach the Red Planet in February 2021, and will stay in orbit for one Martian year (nearly two Earth years).