Missions to Mars

Since the early 1960s, dozens of spacecraft have been sent to explore Mars, also called the Red Planet.

1. The US Mariner 4 was the first to fly past Mars. Orbit came with US Mariner 9 in 1971, sending back pictures of our nearest planetary neighbour.
2. In 1975, the two Viking spacecraft were sent to Mars to search for any sign of life - past or present. They were the first to land and sent back signals for six years.
3. Pathfinder and Global Surveyor launched in 1996, with Pathfinder analysing the chemistry of rocks and soil.
4. Mars Odyssey has been in orbit at Mars since 2001, making it the longest-serving Mars craft in history. It is studying the surface and seeing if there is water below.
5. In 2003, NASA sent the twin Mars Exploration Rovers to Mars. The rovers, known as Opportunity and Spirit, investigated the geology of the Red Planet.
6. Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter launched in 2005, and has provided high-resolution imagery of the Martian surface.