Planetary science

Mars 3

Completed

Image: Stolbovsky · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Launched: 28 May 197115:26:30 UTC
End declared: 22 Aug 1972
Duration: 1 year 2 months
Destinations: Mars

A Soviet orbiter and lander. The lander made the first soft landing on Mars but fell silent about 20 seconds after it began transmitting; the orbiter returned data for eight months.

Milestones

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1972

Spacecraft

Mars 3 orbiter

Orbiter

Completed

Orbiter that studied the Martian surface and atmosphere, though the dust storm raging at its arrival hid much of the planet.

Launch mass: 3,440 kg
Size: 4.1 m × 2 m, span 5.9 m
Power: Solar
Built by: Lavochkin
End declared: 22 Aug 1972
Designator: 1971-049A

Mars 3 lander

Lander

Failed

Lander that reached the surface by aerobraking, parachute and retro-rockets. It carried a small tethered rover that was never deployed.

Launch mass: 1,210 kg
Size: 1.2 m × 1.2 m
Power: Battery
Built by: Lavochkin
Last contact: 2 Dec 1971
Designator: 1971-049E

Mission details from nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov.