---
title: "Three Separate Countries Are Launching Mars Missions This Month"
description: "China, the UAE, and the U.S. all plan to launch Mars missions this month to capitalize on the planets' fortunate alignment."
date: "2020-07-06"
modified: "2020-07-06"
authors:
  - name: "Dan Robitzski"
    link: "https://futurism.com/authors/danrobitzski"
url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/three-countries-launching-mars-missions-month"
categories:
  - "Astronomy"
  - "Mars"
  - "Space"
tags:
  - "china"
  - "mars"
  - "NASA"
  - "space"
  - "the digest"
  - "UAE"
---

# Three Separate Countries Are Launching Mars Missions This Month

![China, the UAE, and the U.S. all plan to launch Mars missions this month to capitalize on the planets' fortunate alignment.](<https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/three-countries-launching-mars-missions-month.jpg>)
*\<em\>Image: CSNA\</em\>*

## Three-Legged Race

Multiple space agencies around the world are moving to capitalize on some [fortunate interplanetary timing](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/nasa-pushes-mars-rover-launch-contamination-concern>) as they embark on missions to Mars.

The U.S., China, and [the United Arab Emirates](<https://futurism.com/the-uae-will-launch-its-first-mission-to-mars-in-2021>) all plan to send spacecraft to the Red Planet this month, [according to *The Hill*](<https://thehill.com/opinion/technology/505922-nasa-china-and-the-uae-are-scheduled-to-send-missions-to-mars-in-july>), as the two planets' alignment makes a Mars mission easy. Or, at least, as easy as such a launch could possibly be.

## Carpool Lane

*The Hill* ascribes different political, scientific, and economic motivations to each of the three space agencies setting out for Mars this month.

While all three missions stand to gather valuable scientific data that could give rise to years of groundbreaking discoveries, *The Hill* posits that China is also hoping to [cement its role](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/china-launch-mars-mission-coming-months>) as a major space player — and that the UAE is in the midst of an economic transition from fossil fuels to science and tech.

## Off-Roading

The UAE's mission involves an orbiter named Hope that will study Mars' atmosphere for at least two years, according to *The Hill*.

However, both the U.S. and China will actually [land rovers](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/nasa-mars-rover-detects-ancient-life-australia>) on the surface that will be able to drive around, collecting and gathering samples.

**READ MORE:** [NASA, China and the UAE are scheduled to send missions to Mars in July](<https://thehill.com/opinion/technology/505922-nasa-china-and-the-uae-are-scheduled-to-send-missions-to-mars-in-july>) \[*The Hill*\]

**More on Mars missions:** *[NASA Pushes Back Mars Rover Launch due to "Contamination Concern"](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/nasa-pushes-mars-rover-launch-contamination-concern>)*

## Author
Dan Robitzki is a senior reporter for Futurism, where he likes to cover AI, tech ethics, and medicine. He spends his extra time fencing and streaming games from Los Angeles, California.

### Author social links  
[Twitter](<https://x.com/danrobitzski>)