02/14/2021 10:37 AM
Clarín.com
Society
Updated 02/14/2021 10:37 AM
The UAE's "Esperanza" probe sent its first image of Mars, after its successful entry into orbit of the red planet.
This was announced this Sunday by the national space agency.
"The United Arab Emirates Mars Mission has captured the image of the largest volcano in the solar system, Olympus Mons, emerging in the light of the early morning sun," it said in a statement.
The image was captured from an altitude of 24,700 kilometers above the Martian surface last Wednesday, a day after the probe was installed in the orbit of Mars.
Sheikh
Mohamed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum
, the Emirati Prime Minister and ruler of Dubai, shared the color image in a tweet.
"First image of Mars captured by the first Arab probe in history," he wrote next to the photo.
When the feat was confirmed, the engineers in the control center jumped from their seats and exploded in cheers and applause.
(EFE)
This mission is designed to uncover the secrets of the Martian climate, but the UAE also wants it to inspire the youth of the region.
"Hope"
became the first of three spacecraft to reach the red planet, after China and the United States launched missions in July, taking advantage of a period during which Earth and Mars are closer together.
The Arab mission also aims to commemorate
the 50th anniversary of the unification of the seven emirates
that make up the nation.
"Hope" will remain in the orbit of the red planet for at least one Martian year, that is, 687 Earth days, and will deploy three scientific instruments to analyze the Martian atmosphere.
It is scheduled to start sending more information back to Earth in September 2021, with the data available to scientists around the world.
With information from Télam
Look also
China's achievement: its Tianwen-1 probe entered orbit around Mars
Feat: the first Arab space probe reached the orbit of Mars
