Mariner program

1960

Later Mariner-based spacecraft include Galileo and Magellan, while the second-generation Mariner Mark II series evolved into the Cassini–Huygens probe. The total cost of the Mariner program was approximately $554 million. ==Early concept== The name of the Mariner program was decided in "May 1960-at the suggestion of Edgar M.

patterned after nautical terms, to convey 'the impression of travel to great distances and remote lands.'" That "decision was the basis for naming Mariner, Ranger, Surveyor, and Viking probes." The Mariner program began in 1960 with a series of JPL mission studies for small-scale, frequent exploration of the nearest planets.

1962

The program launched a series of robotic interplanetary probes, from 1962 to 1973, designed to investigate Mars, Venus and Mercury.

The program included a number of firsts, including the first planetary flyby, the first planetary orbiter, and the first gravity assist maneuver. Between 1962 and late 1973, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory designed and built 10 spacecraft named Mariner to explore the inner solar system - visiting the planets Venus, Mars and Mercury for the first time, and returning to Venus and Mars for additional close observations.

Mariner 1 (designated Mariner R-1) was launched on July 22, 1962, but was destroyed approximately 5 minutes after liftoff by the Air Force Range Safety Officer when its malfunctioning Atlas-Agena rocket went off course.

Mariner 2 (designated Mariner R-2) was launched on August 27, 1962, sending it on a 3½-month flight to Venus.

1965

The spacecraft flew past Mars on July 14, 1965, collecting the first close-up photographs of another planet.

1967

Derelict in [orbit]. ==Mariner 5== The Mariner 5 spacecraft was launched to Venus on June 14, 1967 and arrived in the vicinity of the planet in October 1967.

1969

Mariner 6 was launched on February 24, 1969, followed by Mariner 7 on March 21, 1969.

It entered Martian orbit in November 1971 and began photographing the surface and analyzing the atmosphere with its infrared and ultraviolet instruments. Since 1969, Mariner spacecraft operations such as science sequencing and pointing had been programmable, using simple flight computers with limited memory, and the spacecraft used a digital tape-recorder rather than film to store images and other science data.

1971

Mariner 9 was launched in May 1971 and became the first artificial satellite of Mars.

It entered Martian orbit in November 1971 and began photographing the surface and analyzing the atmosphere with its infrared and ultraviolet instruments. Since 1969, Mariner spacecraft operations such as science sequencing and pointing had been programmable, using simple flight computers with limited memory, and the spacecraft used a digital tape-recorder rather than film to store images and other science data.

1972

Now in a [orbit]. ==Mariner Jupiter-Saturn== Mariner Jupiter-Saturn was approved in 1972 after the cancellation of the Grand Tour program, which proposed visiting all the outer planets with multiple spacecraft.

1973

The program launched a series of robotic interplanetary probes, from 1962 to 1973, designed to investigate Mars, Venus and Mercury.

The program included a number of firsts, including the first planetary flyby, the first planetary orbiter, and the first gravity assist maneuver. Between 1962 and late 1973, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory designed and built 10 spacecraft named Mariner to explore the inner solar system - visiting the planets Venus, Mars and Mercury for the first time, and returning to Venus and Mars for additional close observations.

In Areocentric (Mars) orbit until at least 2022 when it is projected to fall out of orbit and into the Martian atmosphere. ==Mariner 10== The Mariner 10 spacecraft launched on November 3, 1973 and was the first to use a gravity assist trajectory, accelerating as it entered the gravitational influence of Venus, then being flung by the planet's gravity onto a slightly different course to reach Mercury.

1977

The program's name was changed to Voyager just before launch in 1977, and after Voyager 1 successfully completed its Titan encounter, Voyager 2 went on to visit the two ice giants. ==See also== Exploration of Mars Mariner Mark II Mariner (crater) Pioneer program Tom Krimigis ==Notes== ==References== Missions to Mars Missions to Mercury Missions to Venus

1982

NASA gave it to the Smithsonian Institution in 1982, which currently displays it in the Time and Navigation exhibition at the National Air and Space Museum. ==Mariners 1 and 2== Mariner 1 (P-37) and Mariner 2 (P-38) were two deep-space probes making up NASA's Mariner-R project.




All text is taken from Wikipedia. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License .

Page generated on 2021-08-05