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Mariner 9
http://www.history.com/news/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/mariner-9.jpgOne of 10 unmanned vehicles in NASA’s Mariner series, Mariner 9 consisted of an octagonal frame mounted with solar panels, antennae and various scientific instruments for capturing and transmitting images and measurements of Mars. It was designed to map Mars’ surface and study changes in the planet’s atmosphere. (Credit: NASA)
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Mariner 2
http://www.history.com/news/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/mariner-2.jpgThe second Mariner probe, Mariner 2, had made history in December 1962 when it became the world’s first successful interplanetary spacecraft. It conducted a flyby of Venus, gathered data on the planet and measured solar wind and interplanetary dust during its journey. (Credit: NASA)
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Mariner 9 Undergoes Final Checks
http://www.history.com/news/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/mariner-9-checks.jpgBefore Mariner 9’s landmark voyage, the United States and the Soviet Union were neck-and-neck in a heated race to reach Mars first. In May 1971, two American and three Soviet orbiters were poised to attempt the feat. (Credit: NASA)
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Mars 2
http://www.history.com/news/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/soviet-mars-2.jpgOn May 8, the American craft Mariner 8 malfunctioned and crashed during its launch. The Soviets seemed to edge ahead when their Mars 2 orbiter took off successfully on May 19, gaining an 11-day lead over Mariner 9. Another Soviet vehicle, Mars 3, launched on May 28. (Credit: NASA)
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Mariner 9 Lifts Off on May 30, 1971
http://www.history.com/news/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/mariner-9-liftoff.jpgOriginally, the plan had been for Mariner 8 to map 70 percent of the Martian surface while Mariner 9 conducted an atmospheric study. With its twin craft lost in the Atlantic Ocean, Mariner 9 faced the task of completing the mission—and beating the Soviets—on its own. (Credit: NASA)
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Image Taken By Mariner 9 During Its Approach
http://www.history.com/news/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/mars-approach.jpgBy November 11, 1971, Mariner 9 had surpassed its two Soviet rivals and was nearing the Red Planet. The American craft was on track to become Mars’ first artificial satellite. (Credit: NASA)
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Dust Storm on Mars
http://www.history.com/news/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/mars-dust-storm.jpgMariner 9 entered Mars’ orbit on November 14. A severe dust storm obscured the Martian surface and delayed mapping operations for several weeks. The massive storm spelled doom for the Soviet orbiters: Mars 2 crashed and Mars 3 fell silent after sending back hazy pictures. (Credit: NASA)
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Martian Surface As Seen By Mariner 9
http://www.history.com/news/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/martian-surface.jpgOnce the dust cleared, Mariner 9 began collecting images of the Martian surface. To the delight of scientists poring over the transmissions back home, the spacecraft managed to map 100 percent of the Red Planet before running out of power in October 1972. (Credit: NASA)
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Olympus Mons Image Taken By Mariner 9
http://www.history.com/news/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/olympus-mons.jpgMariner 9 captured the first detailed views of Martian structures that astronomers had been observing for decades. For instance, it took photographs of Olympus Mons, an extinct volcano thought to be one of the tallest mountains in the solar system. (Credit: NASA)
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Polar Ice Cap on Mars
http://www.history.com/news/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/mars-ice-cap.jpgIt took the first photographs and videos of Mars’ polar ice caps, which earlier Mariner crafts had glimpsed during flybys. Mariner 9’s equipment also detected water vapor over the planet’s south pole. (Credit: NASA)
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Valles Marineris in 2001
http://www.history.com/news/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/valles-marineris-2001.jpgSignificantly, Mariner 9 discovered geologic features that revised scientists’ understanding of Mars and its ancient past. Some of these—such as a giant system of canyons that was named Valles Marineris in the orbiter’s honor—seemed to indicate that liquid water was once present on the dry, dusty planet. (Credit: NASA)
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Craters and Riverbeds on Mars
http://www.history.com/news/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/mars-riverbeds.jpgFeatures resembling craters and riverbeds provided additional evidence that the Martian environment was once very different—and perhaps even conducive to life. (Credit: NASA)
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