Mars Exploration Historical Timeline 1960s MARSNIK 1
ZOND 2
Failure
Failure
USSR • Oct. 10, 1960 • Flyby
USSR • Nov. 30, 1964 • Flyby Passed Mars but radio failed, returned no planetary data.
Did not reach Earth orbit.
MARSNIK 2 Failure USSR • Oct. 14, 1960 • Flyby Did not reach Earth orbit.
MARINER 6 Success United States • Feb. 24, 1969 • Flyby Successful flyby July 31, 1969; returned 75 photos.
SPUTNIK 22 Failure USSR • Oct. 24, 1962 • Flyby Achieved Earth orbit only.
Mariner 6 spacecraft
MARS 1 Failure USSR • Nov. 1, 1962 • Flyby Radio failed at 65.9 million miles (106 million km).
SPUTNIK 24
MARINER 7 Success United States • March 27, 1969 • Flyby Successful flyby Aug. 5, 1969; returned 126 photos.
Failure USSR • Nov. 4, 1962 •Flyby Achieved Earth orbit only.
MARINER 3 Failure United States • Nov. 5, 1964 • Flyby Shroud failed to jettison.
MARINER 4 Success United States • Nov. 28, 1964 • Flyby First successful flyby July 14, 1965; returned 21 photos.
Full disc views of Mars imaged by Mariner 7 during approach in 1969.
MARS 1969A Failure USSR • March 27, 1969 • Orbiter Did not reach Earth orbit.
First close-up images of Mars as captured during flyby of Mariner 4.
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MARS 1969B Failure USSR • April 2, 1969 • Orbiter Failed during launch.