An Atlas-Centaur launched at 5:22 p.m. EST on March 27, 1969, to send Mariner 7 on its way to Mars. Mariner 7 joined its sister spacecraft, Mariner 6, on a journey that carried them within 2,000 miles of the red planet that summer. Mariner 6 was launched from Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Feb. 24 and investigated the Martian equatorial area while Mariner 7 concentrated on the south polar cap.
Related posts
-
Happy 35th birthday, Hubble Telescope! 10 times the iconic observatory blew astronomers’ minds (photos)
For 35 years, the Hubble Space Telescope has served as humanity’s tireless eye in the sky,... -
Aging gracefully: The Hubble Telescope is in ‘excellent technical condition’ on its 35th birthday, its chief scientist says
The Hubble Space Telescope is celebrating its 35th anniversary in space today, but even as a... -
Rocket Lab introduces line of customizable solar arrays for satellites
Rocket Lab is showing that’s about more than just rockets. The California-based company has introduced a...