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The Soviet Union launcehd Korabl (Mansnik 1) to fly by Mars. It is the USSR's first attempt at an interplanetary probe. After launch, however, the rocket's third stage fails to lift the probe into orbit.
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Soviet Union launced their second flyby to Mars, Korabl 4 (Mansnik 2). After the launch, rocket's third stage fails, and probe never achieves Earth orbit.
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The US launches Mariner 3 to fly by Mars. A shield designed to protect Mariner 3's instruments during launch fails to release once the spacecraft has reached Earth orbit. With its instruments covered and the extra weight of the shield dragging it down, the spacecraft is unable to obtain the necessary trajectory to send it on to Mars.
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Mariner 4 flies within 9,844 kilometers (6,117 miles) of Mars and begins transmitting data back to Earth, becoming the first spacecraft to return pictures of Mars to Earth.
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U.S launches VIking 1 consists two different units, oribiter and lander.
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Roberta Score discovered a 4.5 million years old Martianmeteorite.
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U.S launched Mars Observer to Mars. It supposed to study and orbit The Red Planet:
-determine the global elemental and mineralogical character of the surface material.
-define globally the topography and gravitational field.
-establish the nature of the Martian magnetic field.
-determine the temporal and spatial distribution, abundance, sources, and sinks of volatiles and dust over a seasonal cycle.
-explore atmosphere. -
Japanese launched the Nozomi to orbit Mars. It is scheduled to arrive at Mars in October 1999.
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U.S launched the Mars Odyssey to Mars to orbit and produce a complete map of the Red Planet.
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Nozomi got hit by a powerful solar flare while approaching Earth for the gravity assist maneuver. The power and communications systems are damaged, and the hydrazine fuel aboard the spacecraft freezes as a result of an electrical short.
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The European Space Agency launches the Mars Express orbiter. The spacecraft includes the Beagle 2 lander, named after the ship of British naturalist Charles Darwin. The countries involved in the mission include France, Germany, Great Britain, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Russia, Sweden, Spain, Japan, and the United States.
