What To Expect When You're Expecting Three Missions To Mars | 1A

We could know a lot more about Mars soon. This month, three different missions from the United Arab Emirates, China and the United States are set to touch down on or enter the orbit of the Red Planet.

While China and the U.S. are expected to attempt soft landings on Mars’ surface, the UAE’s craft will instead spend its time floating above the planet in order to study its atmosphere.

China’s rover is set to touch down in Utopia Planitia, Mars’ biggest impact crater, and will spend several months collecting data to send back to Earth.

Meanwhile, NASA’s Perseverance rover will also land on the planet’s surface. But instead of collecting data, the rover will collect samples to be picked up by another mission later in the decade.