2023-05-30 11:38:48
MADRID, 30 May. (EUROPA PRESS) –
This May 30 marks the 52nd anniversary of NASA launch of the Mariner 9 probe, which on November 13, 1971 became the first spacecraft to successfully orbit the red planet.
Scientifically it constituted a continuation of the observations of Mars acquired by the Mariner probes 6 and 7 showing clear photographs of the martian surface hidden at the start of the mission by large sandstorms.
The Mariner Mars 71 project was a mission made up of two spacecraft that were to orbit Mars in complementary missions, but due to the failure of Mariner 8 at launch, it could only be carried out with a probe.
However, the Mariner 9 mission was a resounding success since the first global map of Mars was obtained, including the first detailed views of the volcanoes, Valle Marineris, the polar caps and the satellites Phobos and Deimos. It also provided information on global dust storms, the variable gravitational field by zones and evidence of erosive activity by the wind, informs Wikipedia.
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