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Mariner 9

A model of Mariner 9 orbiting Mars (bottom of a spacehopper).

 

Mariner 9 (Mariner Mars '71 / Mariner-I) is a NASA space orbiter that helped in the exploration of Mars and was part of the Mariner program. Mariner 9 was launched toward Mars on May 30, 1971 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station and reached the planet on November 14 of the same year,[1][2] becoming the first spacecraft to orbit another planet — only narrowly beating Soviet Mars 2 and Mars 3, which both arrived within a month. After months of dust-storms it managed to send back clear pictures of the surface.

 

Mariner 9 returned 7329 images over the course of its mission, which concluded in October 1972.

 

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mariner_9

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Uploaded on May 5, 2008
Taken on May 5, 2008