Mariner Program

The Mariner Program was a series of NASA missions initiated in the 1960s to explore Mars and Venus. It aimed to gather data about the planets' surfaces, atmospheres, and potential for life. The program included several spacecraft, with Mariner 4 famously achieving the first successful flyby of Mars in 1965, capturing the first images of the Martian surface. Subsequent missions provided crucial information that expanded our understanding of these neighboring planets, laying the groundwork for future explorations and research in planetary science. The program marked a significant milestone in the quest to explore the solar system.