Space probe Hope takes the first image of Mars

Hope (Hope) has recently reached its orbit around Mars and it is really treating us with this beautiful painting of the planet.

Since Tuesday, February 9th, the UAE has investigated one Orbit
To Mars. Less than a day later, the spacecraft snapped a vacation shot. His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan said in a tweet on Twitter: “The transmission of the first image of Mars via the Hope Probe is a decisive moment in our history and indicates the UAE’s association with developed countries that participate in space exploration.”

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Nice dish

The image was taken on February 10 by the EXI instrument of Hope, at an altitude of 24,700 km above the surface of Mars. The panel shows the north pole of the neighboring planet in the upper left. In the center, in early morning light, appears the extinct volcano Olympus Mons. The three points one below the other are the shield volcanoes Ascraeus Mons, Pavonis Mons, and Arsia Mons. And if you look further east, to the edge of the planet, you’ll see Valles Marineris, which is a huge canyon system.

Three tools

Hope will not land on Mars, but will orbit the planet. The spacecraft will study and map the atmosphere for a Martian year, or 687 days. It is equipped with three tools for this.

With th Infrared Spectrometer on UAE Mars (Emirates) The satellite will study features of temperature, ice, water vapor and dust in the atmosphere in the infrared (or thermal) spectrum of Mars. The tool has a rotating mirror that allows it to scan the planet.

to Emirates Electronic Exploration Camera (EXI) It checks the particles present in the Martian atmosphere. The instrument looks at the light emitted by a star, such as the sun, in the visible and ultraviolet spectrum. Then she turns her eyes back to that star, but then she looks through the Martian atmosphere. The scientists then compare the light spectra of the star – the primary measurement, as it were – with the spectra of the atmosphere. This is because particles absorb light at certain wavelengths and by analyzing the included wavelengths, researchers can find out what substances are in the atmosphere of the red planet. In addition, this camera takes high-resolution images of Mars.

Finally, there’s a file Emirates Mars Spectrometer (EMUS), Which takes measurements in the ultraviolet spectrum on the upper layers of Mars: the thermosphere (100 to 200 km high) and the outermost layer (above 200 km). There, the scale examines the emission of hydrogen, oxygen, and carbon monoxide and how these change seasonally.

You can read more about this Mars mission and the China-US mission at KIJK 3/2021. This edition will be in stores from February 18th to March 17th.

Sources: BBC News, ScienceAlert

Photo: UAESA / MBRSC