UAE's Hope Probe welcomes Nasa rover to Mars

As Nasa's Perseverance Rover made a successful Mars landing ahead of schedule early Friday morning, the UAE's Hope Probe was one of the first to 'tweet' its congratulations.

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Keeping up their brotherly banter — which began last year when both space missions took off on their respective journeys to the Red Planet in July — the UAE space mission paid tribute to the US space agency, before welcoming its rover, dubbed Perseverance, to the Red Planet.

"Inspired by Nasa's work since we were children, we are humbled to be able to say 'Welcome to Mars', as you embark on your amazing mission to further explore the planet," read the tweet addressed to the rover.

"Here's to yet more technological and scientific 'firsts' on your way. Godspeed, Perseverance!" it added.

Inspired by @NASA's work since we were children, we are humbled to be able to say 'Welcome to Mars' @NASAPersevere, as you embark on your amazing mission to further explore the planet. Here's to yet more technological and scientific 'firsts' on your way.

Godspeed, Perseverance!

— Hope Mars Mission (@HopeMarsMission) February 18, 2021

Earlier this month, when the UAE made history as the first Arab interplanetary mission to reach the Red Planet, Nasa too was one of the first to congratulate the efforts of the young Arab nation.

The success of the US Mars rover landing marks the last of the troika of space missions scheduled to arrive on the Red Planet this month, after the UAE's Hope Probe and China's Tianwen-1.

Starting this summer, it will attempt to collect 30 rock and soil samples in sealed tubes, to be eventually sent back to Earth — sometime in the 2030s — for lab analysis.