Timeline of Mars Exploration

1. Timeline of Mars Exploration

2. 1960: October 10 – Marsnik 1 (also known as Korabl 4 and Mars 1960A) Soviet Union's first attempt at a planetary probe. Launch failure. 1960: October 14 – Marsnik 2, Soviet Union's second attempt at a planetary probe. Launch failure. 1962: October 24 – Sputnik 22 was an attempted Mars flyby mission by the Soviet’s. The spacecraft broke into many pieces. 1962: November 1 – Mars 1, Soviet launched. On 21 March 1963, when the spacecraft was at a distance of 106,760,000 km from Earth on its way to Mars communications ceased, probably due to failure of the spacecraft orientation system. Mars 1 closest approach to Mars occurred on 19 June 1963 at a distance of approximately 193,000 km, after which the spacecraft entered a heliocentric orbit. 1962: November 4 – Sputnik 24 was an attempted Soviet Mars Lander mission. The complex broke up during the burn to transfer to Mars trajectory. No picture No picture

3. 1964: November 5 – Mariner 3, launched by NASA. A protective shield failed to eject after the spacecraft had passed through the atmosphere. None of the instrument sensors were uncovered, and the added weight prevented the spacecraft from attaining its prescribed Mars trajectory. 1964: November 28 – Mariner 4, launched by NASA and represented the first successful flyby of the planet Mars, returning the first pictures of the Martian surface. It was designed to conduct close-up scientific observations of Mars and to transmit these observations to earth. 1964: November 30 – Zond 2 (Soviet) was an automatic interplanetary station launched from a Tyazheliy Sputnik (64-078A) in Earth parking orbit towards Mars to test space-borne systems and to carry out scientific investigations. One of the two solar panels failed so only half the anticipated power was available. Communications with the spacecraft were lost in early May, 1965. The spacecraft flew by Mars on 6 August 1965 at a distance of 1500 km and a relative speed of 5.62 km/s. 1965: July 18 – Zond 3 (Soviet) On July 20 lunar flyby occurred approximately 33 hours after launch at a closest approach of 9200 km. 25 pictures of very good quality were taken of the lunar farside from distances of 11,570 to 9960 km over a period of 68 minutes. After the lunar flyby, Zond 3 continued space exploration in a heliocentric orbit.

4. 1969: February 25 – Mariner 6 (NASA) used for planetary exploration in the flyby mode. To study the surface and atmosphere of Mars during close flybys to establish the basis for future investigations, and to demonstrate and develop technologies required for future Mars missions and other long-duration missions far from the Sun. 1969: March 27 – Mariner 7 and 6 (NASA) spacecraft were identical The spacecraft were oriented entirely to planetary data acquisition, and no data were obtained during the trip to Mars or beyond Mars. 1969: March 27 – Mars 1969A (Soviet) A planned orbiter. The third stage launcher experienced a malfunction in a rotor bearing which caused the turbo pump to catch fire. The engine shut down 438.66 seconds after launch and exploded, the remains of the craft landing in the Altai mountains. 1969: April 2 – Mars 1969B (Soviet) Identical to Mars 1969A. A planned orbiter. The first stage launcher failed almost immediately. One of the six first stage rockets exploded. The other five engines shut down and the rocket impacted and exploded 41 seconds after liftoff approximately 3 km from the launch pad.

5. 1971: May 8 – Mariner 8 (NASA) It was intended to go into Mars orbit and return images and data. The main Centaur engine was ignited 265 seconds after launch, but the upper stage began to oscillate in pitch and tumbled out of control. The Centaur and spacecraft payload separated and re-entered the Earth's atmosphere approximately 1500 km downrange and fell into the Atlantic Ocean about 560 km north of Puerto Rico. 1971: May 10 – Cosmos 419 (Soviet) This launch was intended to be a Mars orbiting mission. It carried an instrument to measure solar radiation which was supplied by the French. The Block D stage 4 failed to function due to a bad ignition timer setting. The orbit decayed and the spacecraft re-entered Earth's atmosphere 2 days later on 12 May 1971. No picture 1971: May 19 – Mars 2 (Soviet) The primary scientific objectives of the Mars 2 orbiter were to image the Martian surface and clouds, determine the temperature on Mars, study the topography, composition and physical properties of the surface, measure properties of the atmosphere, monitor the solar wind and the interplanetary and Martian magnetic fields, and act as a communications relay to send signals from the Lander to Earth. The Lander crashed. 1971: May 28 – Mars 3 (Soviet) Identical spacecraft as Mars 2. The Lander achieved a soft landing and began operations. After 20 sec the instruments stopped working for unknown reasons

6. 1971: May 30 – Mariner 9 (NASA) Combined mission objectives of both Mariner 8 (mapping 70 % of the Martian surface) and Mariner 9 (a study of temporal changes in the Martian atmosphere and on the Martian surface). 1973: July 21 – Mars 4 (Soviet) Intended to be a Mars orbiter mission. Due to a flaw in the computer chip the retro-rockets never fired to slow the craft into Mars orbit, and Mars 4 flew by the planet at a range of 2200 km. 1973: July 25 – Mars 5 (Soviet) Designed to orbit Mars and return information on the composition, structure, and properties of the Martian atmosphere and surface. The orbiter operated only a few days. 1973: August 5 – Mars 6 (Soviet) Consisted of a flyby bus and an attached descent module. The descent module separated from the bus on reaching Mars and was designed to enter the Martian atmosphere and make in-situ studies of the Mars atmosphere and surface. Contact with the descent module was lost.

7. 1973: August 9 – Mars 7 (Soviet) Intended to be a Mars Lander. Consisted of a flyby bus and a descent module. The descent module was designed to enter the Martian atmosphere and make in-situ studies of the atmosphere and surface, but a malfunction on board caused the Lander to miss the planet. 1975: August 20 – Viking 1 (NASA) Consisted of an orbiter and a Lander. Objectives were to obtain high resolution images of the Martian surface, characterize the structure and composition of the atmosphere and surface, and search for evidence of life. Powered down on August 17, 1980, after over 1400 orbits 1975: September 9 – Viking 2 (NASA) Same as Viking 1. Powered down on July 25, 1978 after 706 orbits 1988: July 7 – Phobos 1 (Soviet) The objectives: Conduct studies of the interplanetary environment; perform observations of the Sun; characterize the plasma environment in the Martian vicinity; conduct surface and atmospheric studies of Mars; and, study the surface composition of the Martian satellite Phobos. Communications session on 2 September 1988 failed to occur

8. 1988: July 12 – Phobos 2 (Soviet) Same objectives as Phobos 1. Before the final phase of the mission, contact with Phobos 2 was lost. The mission ended when the spacecraft signal failed to be successfully reacquired on 27 March 1989. 1992: September 25 – Mars Observer (NASA) Designed to study the geoscience and climate of Mars. Contact was lost on August 21, 1993, three days before scheduled orbit insertion. 1996: November 7 – Mars Global Surveyor (NASA) Designed as a rapid, low-cost recovery of the Mars Observer mission objectives. The first spacecraft to be launched in a decade-long exploration of Mars by NASA. 1996: November 16 – Mars 96 (Russia) Designed to send an orbiter, two small autonomous stations, and two surface penetrators to Mars. Failed to achieve insertion into Mars cruise trajectory and crashed within a presumed 320 km by 80 km area which includes parts of the Pacific Ocean, Chile, and Bolivia.

9. 1996: December4 – Mars Pathfinder (NASA) Consists of a stationary Lander and a surface rover. primary objective of demonstrating the feasibility of low-cost landings on and exploration of the Martian surface. The rover "Sojourner" is a six-wheeled vehicle which is controlled by an Earth-based operator, who uses images obtained by both the rover and Lander systems. 1998: July 3 – Nozomi (Japan) Planned as a Mars orbiting aeronomy mission designed to study the Martian upper atmosphere and its interaction with the solar wind and to develop technologies for use in future planetary missions An attempt to fire thrusters to orient the craft for a Mars orbit insertion burn failed on December 9. The smaller thrusters were successfully fired and Nozomi went into a heliocentric orbit for roughly two years. 1998: December 11 – Mars Climate Orbiter (NASA) Two spacecraft launched separately to study the Martian weather, climate, and water and carbon dioxide budget, in order to understand the reservoirs, behavior, and atmospheric role of volatiles and to search for evidence of long-term and episodic climate changes. The Mars Climate Orbiter was destroyed when a navigation error caused it to miss its target.

10. 1999: January 3 – Mars Polar Lander (NASA) two spacecraft launched separately designed to study the Martian weather, climate, and water and carbon dioxide budget The last telemetry from Mars Polar Lander was sent just prior to atmospheric entry on 3 December 1999. No further signals have been received from the Lander, the cause of this loss of communication is not known. 1999: January 3 – Deep Space 2 (NASA) Two probes were to penetrate the surface of Mars near the south polar layered terrain and send back data on the sub-surface properties. On 3 December 1999 the probes were nearing Mars but contact was never made with either probe and the mission was presumed lost. 2001: April 7 – 2001 Mars Odyssey (NASA) Consisted of two separately launched missions, The Mars Surveyor 2001 Orbiter and the Mars Surveyor 2001 Lander. The Lander spacecraft was cancelled and the Orbiter was to orbit Mars for three years, with the objective of conducting a detailed mineralogical analysis of the planet's surface from orbit and measuring the radiation environment 2003: June 2 – Mars Express (European Space Agency) Consisted of an orbiter, the Mars Express Orbiter, and a Lander, Beagle 2. The Lander was declared lost.

11. 2003: June 10 – Spirit (Mars Exploration Rover A) (NASA) One of the two rovers launched to Mars in mid-2003. The rover arrived at Mars in January of 2004 equipped with a battery of scientific instruments and will be able to traverse 100 meters a day. The nominal plan was for the mission to last for 90 days, until April 2004. 2003: July 7 – Opportunity (Mars Exploration Rover B) (NASA) The purpose of the rovers was to gather data to help determine if life ever arose on Mars, characterize the climate of Mars, characterize the geology of Mars, and prepare for human exploration of Mars

12. Future Launches 2005: August 10 – 30 Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (NASA) Primary objectives of the mission will be to look for evidence of past or present water, to study the weather and climate and to identify landing sites for future missions. The orbiter will also be used as a telecommunications link for future missions. Designed to orbit Mars over a full Martian year and gather data with six scientific instruments, including a high-resolution imager 2007: Late in the year – Netlanders (French Space Agency) Consists of four Landers. Each Lander includes a network science payload with instrumentation for studying the interior of Mars, the atmosphere and the subsurface, as well as the ionospheric structure and geodesy. First planetary mission focusing on investigations of the interior. One of the Landers, open and working.

13. 2009: Late in the year – A long duration rover (mobile scientific laboratory) equipped to perform many scientific studies of Mars. Objectives of the mission will be to assess the biological potential of at least one target area, characterize the local geology and geochemistry, investigate planetary processes relevant to habitability, including the role of water, and to characterize the broad spectrum of surface radiation.

14. Bibliography http://www.amnh.org/rose/mars/od1.html http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/planets/marspage.html http://mars3.jpl.nasa.gov/mgs/overvu/slides/01.html