On November 1, 1962, the Soviet Union launched the Mars 1 spacecraft on a mission to fly by the Red Planet.
‘On This Day in Space’ Video Series on Space.com
While it did end up flying by Mars, the mission was not exactly a success. After it separated from the rocket, it deployed its solar panels and started cruising toward Mars. When mission controllers were checking out the telemetry it transmitted back to Earth, they found out that Mars 1 had sprung a leak in one of the gas valves that controls the spacecraft’s orientation. And without a working orientation system, Mars 1 would have a hard time pointing its antennas in the right direction. It lost contact with Earth when it was about halfway to Mars.
‘On This Day in Space’ Video Series on Space.com
While it did end up flying by Mars, the mission was not exactly a success. After it separated from the rocket, it deployed its solar panels and started cruising toward Mars. When mission controllers were checking out the telemetry it transmitted back to Earth, they found out that Mars 1 had sprung a leak in one of the gas valves that controls the spacecraft’s orientation. And without a working orientation system, Mars 1 would have a hard time pointing its antennas in the right direction. It lost contact with Earth when it was about halfway to Mars.
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TechTranscript
00:00On this day, in space.
00:03On November 1st, 1962, the Soviet Union launched the Mars 1 spacecraft on a mission to fly
00:08by the Red Planet.
00:10While it did end up flying by Mars, the mission was not exactly a success.
00:15After it separated from the rocket, it deployed its solar panels and started cruising towards
00:19Mars.
00:20When mission controllers were checking out the telemetry it transmitted to Earth, they
00:24found out that Mars 1 had sprung a leak in one of the gas valves that controls the spacecraft's
00:28orientation.
00:30And without a working orientation system, Mars 1 would have a hard time pointing its
00:33antennas in the right direction.
00:36It lost contact with Earth when it was about halfway to Mars.
00:38And that's what happened on this day in space.