The three missions to Mars

Hope orbiter – UAE

Probe to study Mars’s weather and create first complete map of the atmosphere – and attempt to discover why much of it is missing

Tianwen-1 – China

Orbiter to conduct global survey and relay data to Earth. Rover carries radar, able to penetrate 100m beneath Martian surface

Perseverance – US

The rover will look for signs of the habitable conditions for life as well as direct evidence of microbial life. Samples collected for later retrieval

Hope orbiter – UAE

Probe to study Mars’s weather and create first complete map of the planet’s atmosphere – and attempt to discover why much of it is missing

Tianwen-1 – China

Orbiter to conduct global survey and relay data to Earth. Rover carries radar, able to penetrate 100m beneath Martian surface

Perseverance – US

The rover will look for signs of the habitable conditions for life as well as direct evidence of microbial life. Samples collected for later retrieval