Mariner

The Mariner series of spacecraft were interplanetary probes 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. To date, Mariner 10 is also the only spacecraft ever to perform up-close observations of Mercury. The Mariner series complemented the Pioneer vehicles which flew during the same time period. Of the 10 vehicles in the Mariner series, 7 were successful (the other 3 were lost due to launch vehicle failures). The planned Mariner 11 and 12 vehicles evolved into Voyager 1 and 2. A set of missions planned as follow-ons to the Mariner series, Mariner Mark 2, was cancelled in the early '90s due to budgetary constraints.

Related QuickLook Pages:

• Mariner 10
• Mariner 1, 2
• Mariner 3,4
• Mariner 5
• Mariner 6,7
• Mariner 8,9

Launch Facts

Name	Int'l Desig.	Date	Site	Vehicle	Orbit	Mass(kg)
Notes
Mariner 1	none	7/22/62	ESMC	Atlas Agena B	FTO	200
Destroyed by range safety; Venus probe
Mariner 2	1962-A[Rho]1	8/27/62	ESMC	Atlas Agena B	Solar	201
Venus flyby at 34745 km
Mariner 3	1964-073A	11/5/64	ESMC	Atlas Agena D	Solar	260
Mars probe; launch fairing failure prevented Mars flyby
Mariner 4	1964-077A	11/28/64	ESMC	Atlas Agena D	Solar	260
Mars probe
Mariner 5	1967-060A	6/14/67	ESMC	Atlas Agena D	Solar	244
Venus flyby 10/19/67
Mariner 6	1969-014A	2/24/69	ESMC	Atlas Centaur	Solar	412
Mars flyby 7/31/69; returned 75 images of Martian surface
Mariner 7	1969-030A	3/27/69	ESMC	Atlas Centaur	Solar	412
Mars flyby 8/5/69; returned 126 images of Martian surface
Mariner 8 (Mariner H)	none	5/8/71	ESMC	Atlas Centaur	FTO	996
2nd stage failure; intended Mars flyby
Mariner 9	1971-051A	5/30/71	ESMC	Atlas Centaur	Mars	974
Entered Mars orbit 11/13/71
Mariner 10	1973-085A	11/3/73	ESMC	Atlas Centaur	Solar	526
Venus flyby 2/5/74; Mercury flybys on 3/29/74, 9/21/74, 3/16/75