February 2021 has been a historical month for Mars exploration. While humans have been exploring the red planet for well over 50 years, first landing on its surface in 1971 and then launching the first successful rover in 1997, this year has seen several firsts, namely the first time that three countries (China, United States, and the UAE) have launched three simultaneous probes. While each expedition has different objectives, they will add to the database of information available through terrain analysis, sample collection, and other diverse research methods. Along with shedding light on the planet's many unknowns, this recent missions aim to pave the way for manned spacecraft to land on Mars, a plan that Elon Musk predicts will come to fruition in 2022.