A NASA photo shows a full rotation of the planet Mars as seen through the recently upgraded Hubble Telescope using the wide-field planetary camera. The photos were taken six hours apart, which allows for almost full planetary coverage.
With space becoming increasingly cheaper and easier to access, traditional powers like Russia and the United States are pursuing more ambitious projects and testing emerging technologies. The lower costs are meanwhile allowing middle powers to enter the race, supporting programs both in space and on Earth. In quick succession, three spacecraft from the United Arab Emirates, China and the United States recently arrived at the red planet in a span of just 10 days. The United Arab Emirates became the fifth country to reach Mars when its orbiter arrived Feb. 9 to study weather conditions on Mars. China then became the sixth country to reach the planet when its Tianwen-1 spacecraft arrived on Feb. 10. The fifth U.S. Mars rover, Perseverance, and its Ingenuity helicopter drone are also set to land on Feb. 18.
