Mars 1, also known as 1962 Beta Nu 1, Mars 2MV-4 and Sputnik 23, was an automatic interplanetary station launched in the direction of Mars on November 1, 1962,[1][2] the first of the Soviet Mars probe program, with the intent of flying by the planet at a distance of about 11,000 km (6,800 mi). It was designed to image the surface and send back data on cosmic radiation, micrometeoroid impacts and Mars' magnetic field, radiation environment, atmospheric structure, and possible organic compounds.[1][2]
After leaving Earth orbit, the spacecraft and the Molniya booster's fourth stage separated and the solar panels were deployed. Early telemetry indicated that there was a leak in one of the gas valves in the orientation system so the spacecraft was transferred to gyroscopic stabilization. It made sixty-one radio transmissions, initially at two-day intervals and later at five days, containing a large amount of interplanetary data.[1]
On March 21, 1963, when the spacecraft was at a distance of 106,760,000 km (66,340,000 mi) from Earth on its way to Mars, communications ceased, probably due to failure of the spacecraft's antenna orientation system.[1][2] Mars 1's closest approach to Mars probably occurred on June 19, 1963 at a distance of approximately 193,000 km (120,000 mi), after which the spacecraft entered an orbit around the Sun.[2]
Mars 1 was a modified Venera-type spacecraft in the shape of a cylinder 3.3 m (11 ft) long and 1 m (3.3 ft) in diameter.[1][2] The spacecraft measured 4 m (13 ft) across with the solar panels and radiators deployed. The cylinder was divided into two compartments. The upper 2.7 m (8.9 ft), the orbital module, contained guidance and on-board propulsion systems. The experiment module, containing the scientific instrumentation, comprised the bottom 0.6 m (2.0 ft) of the cylinder. A 1.7 m (5.6 ft) parabolic high gain antenna was used for communication, along with an omnidirectional antenna and a semi-directional antenna. Power was supplied by two solar panel wings with a total area of 2.6 m2 (28 sq ft) affixed to opposite sides of the spacecraft. Power was stored in a 42 ampere-hour cadmium-nickel battery.[2]
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Communications were via a decimeter-wavelength radio transmitter mounted in the orbital module which used the high-gain antenna. This was supplemented by a 1-metre-wavelength range transmitter through the omnidirectional antenna. An 8-centimetre-wavelength transmitter mounted in the experiment module was designed to transmit the TV images.[1][2] Also mounted in the experiment module was a 5-centimeter range impulse transmitter[clarification needed]. Temperature control was achieved using a binary gas–liquid system and hemispherical radiators mounted on the ends of the solar panels. The craft carried various scientific instruments including a magnetometer probe, television photographic equipment, a spectroreflexometer, radiation sensors (gas-discharge and scintillation counters), a spectrograph to study ozone absorption bands, and a micrometeoroid instrument.[1][2]
This spacecraft is also referenced as Sputnik 23 and Mars 2MV-4. It was originally designated Sputnik 30 in the U.S. Naval Space Command Satellite Situation Summary.
Although it was called Mars 1, there were at least three other probes prior to this, that were failures: Mars 2MV-4 No.1, Mars 1M No.2, and Mars 1M No.1
Mars programme | |
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Cancelled |
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Italics indicate failures at launch. |
← 1961 · Orbital launches in 1962 · 1963 → | |
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Discoverer 37 | SOLRAD 4 · LOFTI 2 · SECOR · Injun 2 · Surcal 1 | Ranger 3 | TIROS-4 | Mercury-Atlas 6 | FTV-2301 | Discoverer 38 | OSO-1 | Samos 6 | Kosmos 1 | Kosmos 2 | Midas 5 · Westford Drag | FTV-1142 | Ranger 4 | Kosmos 3 | Solrad 4B | Kosmos 4 | Ariel 1 | FTV-2401 | FTV-1125 | ANNA 1A | FTV-1126 | FTV-3501 | Mercury-Atlas 7 (Balloon Subsatellite 1) | FTV-3501 | Kosmos 5 | FTV-1128 | Zenit-2 No.3 | FTV-1127 · OSCAR 2 | FTV-2402 | FTV-2312 | TIROS-5 | FTV-1129 | FTV-1151 | Kosmos 6 | Telstar 1 | FTV-2403 | FTV-1130 | Mariner 1 | FTV-1131 | Kosmos 7 | FTV-1152 | FTV-2404 | Vostok 3 | Vostok 4 | Kosmos 8 | FTV-2502 | Venera 2MV-1 No.1 | Mariner 2 | FTV-1153 | Venera 2MV-1 No.2 | FTV-1132 | Venera 2MV-2 No.1 | FTV-1133 · ERS-2 | TIROS-6 | Kosmos 9 | Alouette 1 · TAVE | FTV-1154 | Explorer 14 | Mercury-Atlas 8 | FTV-1134 | Kosmos 10 | Ranger 5 | Kosmos 11 | Mars 2MV-4 No.1 | 1MS No.2 | STARAD | Explorer 15 | ANNA 1B | Mars 1 | Mars 2MV-3 No.1 | FTV-1136 | FTV-2405 · ERS-1 | FTV-1135 | FTV-1155 | NRL PL120 · Injun 3 · NRL PL121 · Surcal 2 · Calsphere 1 | Relay 1 | FTV-1136 | Explorer 16 | Midas 6 · ERS-3 · ERS-4 | Transit 5A-1 | Kosmos 12 | |
Payloads are separated by bullets ( · ), launches by pipes ( | ). Crewed flights are indicated in underline. Uncatalogued launch failures are listed in italics. Payloads deployed from other spacecraft are denoted in brackets. |
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Missions are ordered by launch date. Sign † indicates failure en route or before intended mission data returned. |