UAE PROBE ENTERS MARS ORBIT, POISED TO SEND DATA

The United Arab Emirates’ first mission to Mars reached the red planet and entered orbit on Tuesday after a seven-month, 494 million-km journey, allowing it to start sending data about the Martian atmosphere and climate. The Mars program is part of the uae’s efforts to develop its scientific capabilities and reduce its reliance on oil. The uae Space Agency, the fifth globally to reach the planet, has a plan for a Mars settlement by 2117. “Contact with #Hopeprobe has been established again. The Mars Orbit Insertion is now complete,” said the Mohammed bin rashid Space Centre, where the ruler of dubai and the crown prince of Abu dhabi received the news. To enter orbit, the probe needed to burn around half its 800 kg of fuel to slow down enough not to overshoot, the most dangerous part of the journey.