Mariner 9
On November 14th 1971 Mariner 9 became the first
space craft to enter orbit around another planet in this case Mars. Mariner 9
would send back over 7,000 photographs or about 85% of the surface of Mars
before the mission ended in October 1972. Previous missions which have been fly
byes had sent back only small numbers of photographs.
Mariner 9 photographed river beds, craters, extinct
volcanoes including Olympus Mons the largest volcano on Mars and in the solar
system.
Also photographed were canyons including the Valles Marineris, a canyon
so big that it is bigger the USA. Valles Marineris is named after the Mariner 9
space craft.
Today Mariner 9 remains as a derelict satellite in orbit
around Mars. It is expected to remain in orbit until approximately 2022, when
the spacecraft will probably enter the Martian atmosphere and either burn up or
crash into the planet's surface.
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