The Probert Encyclopaedia of Science & Technology

MARINER

Mariner was the NASA project for the design and manufacture of unmanned space probes for missions to Mars and Venus. The first Mariner probe was launched in 1962, but the launch vehicle veered off course and had to be destroyed. The second launch, that of Mariner 2 was successful and Mariner 2 passed by Venus in December 1962.
Mariner 3, planned to report on Mars, failed in its launch in 1964, but Mariner 4 was successfully launched later in 1964 and passed Mars transmitting information about the atmosphere and magnetic field of the planet as well as photographs of the planet's surface.
Mariner 5 was launched in June 1967 to fly past the planet Venus and transmit back data on the planet.
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