We got thinking about Mars in the 1960s and sent 40 missions since; here’s a lookback
The six-decade space race to explore Mars has resulted in some 40 missions, at least half which have been successful, but still the Red Planet inspires new adventures.
A look again at some essential Mars missions over the last 60 years:
1960-1964: Soviet failures
Initially, the Soviet Union network marketing leads just how, sending probes from 1960, just 3 years after it launched its earliest artificial satellite Sputnik We.
Nonetheless it clocks up a string of failures, including Marsnik 1 and 2, the first two probes launched in October 1960, which usually do not reach the Earth’s orbit.
Zond 2 launched found in late 1964 may be the first probe to get near Mars, although it will not manage to perform an observation of the earth.
1965: Mariner 4 flies over
On July 15, 1965, the American vessel Mariner 4 makes history when it flies over the Red Planet. It sends back about 20 photographs revealing a desert-like surface area dotted with craters.
Mariner 6 and 7 in 1969 also accumulate dozens of images.
1971: first satellite
Mariner 9 in November 1971 becomes the primary satellite around Mars, providing an in depth photographic map showing traces of volcanism and river erosion.
In December the Soviet Mars 3 may be the first spaceship to generate a soft-landing on the planet nonetheless it stops transmitting some 20 seconds later.
1976: Viking 1 and 2 complete missions
The US may be the first nation to create vessels function on Mars: in July 1976 Viking 1 may be the first spaceship to successfully territory on earth and complete its objective.
It is followed in September by Viking 2.
Their combined missions allow them to collect a lot more than 50,000 photographs and show there is no sign of life on Mars.
1997: Data drive
Exploration to Mars accumulates again in the 1990s, but with mixed outcomes: seven probes are lost.
But US space company NASA enjoys several successes, both in 1997.
In July, Mars Pathfinder places the robotic rover Sojourner on earth.
In that case in September Mars Global Surveyor, launched a year before, enters orbit and goes on to study the complete surface, ambiance, and interior of the earth.
Both Pathfinder and Surveyor accumulate detailed data about the earth and are able to detect the occurrence of minerals.
2003: Europe’s Mars Express
The European Space Agency sends the probe Mars Express which circles Mars from December 2003 and remains functioning.
On the other hand, the craft’s mini-lander Beagle 2 never shows all sign of life, though it was seen on the planet’s surface in January 2015.
2004: Spirit and Opportunity
Two US geological robots, Spirit and Opportunity, are located on Mars in January 2004 for an effective mission lasting until 2010 and 2018 respectively.
Chance clocks up the longest extraterrestrial length ever travelled at 45 kilometres (28 kilometers) and sends back a lot more than 200,000 images, and discovers traces of humidity in the atmosphere.
2012: Curiosity, still working
THE UNITED STATES robot Curiosity lands in August 2012 and may be the only vehicle even now in procedure on Mars.
It has shown the earth was once suited to microbial life and really should therefore get potentially habitable.
IN-MAY 2008, Phoenix, another US vehicle, investigates permafrost on Mars and confirms the existence of frozen water.
2014: India, cheaper and faster
India successfully puts a probe into orbit in September 2014.
The Mars Orbiter Objective aims to gauge the presence of methane on the Crimson World and was produced at an inexpensive and in record time.
2020 and beyond
The Russian-European mission ExoMars, which had been planning to send a robot to drill the bottom on Mars in 2020, is postponed to 2022 following technical difficulties and the COVID-19 pandemic.
But three missions to the Red Planet remain scheduled in July.
The United Arab Emirates are hoping to be the first probe from the Arab world, China are because of release Tianwen-1, and the US is gearing up because of its next mission “Perseverance”.
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