- Date
- 1971–1972
- Mission
- Mariner 9
#NASA#Mariner#Mars
Mariner 9 became the first spacecraft to orbit another planet when it arrived at Mars in November 1971. It mapped almost the entire surface and returned more than 7,000 images despite a planet-wide dust storm.
Mission timeline
Select a phase to read what happened. Every chapter has its own detailed page.
Mars orbit and dust storm
Mariner 9 entered orbit as dust hid the surface.
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A new Mars revealed
The spacecraft mapped volcanoes, valleys and polar regions.
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Facts
- First spacecraft to orbit another planet.
- Mapped about 85 percent of Mars.
- Returned more than 7,000 images.
- Worked through a planet-wide dust storm.
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New plates, trivia and behind-the-scenes updates as soon as they are ready.
Gallery
Sources & further reading
- Mission overview and science results.
- History of the first Mars orbiter.
- Mission record.
- Public-domain photographs.
Spaceflightpedia. (n.d.). Mariner 9. Retrieved 9 October 2026, from https://spaceflightpedia.com/article/mariner-9
article text — CC-BY-SA · ◉ NASA photography — public domain · ✦ AI illustration — marked, generated from sources
