Missions to Mars
Access Points
Dewey Decimal System
603 Encyclopedias
606 Organizations
629 Engineering, including aeronautics
629.4 Space Flight
Library of Congress Subject Headings
Mars (Planet) -- Exploration
Mars (Planet) -- Exploration -- Juvenile literature
Space Flight to Mars
Space Flight to Mars -- Juvenile literature
Print Resources
DeSomma, V. V. 1992. The mission to Mars and beyond. New York: Chelsea House. Call number: JUV 629.45 DES Juvenile nonfiction
O’Brien, P. 2009. You are the first kid on Mars. New York: G.P. Putnam’s Sons. Call number: JUV 919.92304 OBR Juvenile nonfiction
Wunsch, S. T. 1998. The adventures of Sojourner: the mission to Mars that thrilled the world. New York: Miyaka Press. Call number: JUV 629.455 WUN Juvenile nonfiction
Vogt, G. 1991. Viking and the Mars landing: missions in space. Brookfield, Conn.: Millbrook Press. Call number: JUV 629.435 VOG Juvenile nonfiction
Websites
Mars Overview Video
This NASA video provides an overview of the entire Mars project.
Past Missions to Mars
This webpage lists every mission that led to being able to successfully land a rover on Mars, including the six Mariner missions beginning in 1965.
The Mariner Missions
Mariner 3 and Mariner 4
Mariner 3 (November, 1964) and Mariner 4 (November, 1964 - July, 1965) were designed to do flybys of Mars.
Mariner 6 and Mariner 7
Mariner 6 (February - June, 1969) and Mariner 7 (March - August, 1969) – the first dual mission to Mars in which both flybys and analysis & recording of data took place.
Mariner 8 and Mariner 9
Mariner 8 (May, 1971) and Mariner 9 (May - November, 1971) – designed to be the first Mars orbiters.
Viking Missions
Viking Mission page at NASA
Viking Mission Detailed Information
The first mission in history to safely land a vessel upon the surface of another planet: Viking I (August, 1975 - June, 1976) and Viking II (September, 1975 - August, 1976).
“FAILED” MISSIONS TO MARS
Mars Observer
Mars Observer – launched on September 25, 1992 but communication was lost the following August, just days before it was supposed to have entered into orbit around Mars.
Mars Climate Orbiter
Mars Climate Orbiter – Launched December 11, 1998 but was likely burned up in Mars’s atmosphere after approaching too low for landing.
Mars Polar Lander / Deep Space 2
Launched January 3, 1999 and were lost on arrival on December 3, 1999.
Mars Pathfinder/Sojourner Rover
Mars Pathfinder at NASA
Mars Pathfinder archive site
The Mars Pathfinder included a lander and the Sojourner rover. It explored and sent back abundant data about the Ares Vallis, an ancient flood plain.
Mars Global Surveyor
Mars Global Surveyor at NASA
The Mars Global Surveyor orbited the planet for nine years, which was nearly four times as long as originally planned.
Phoenix
Phoenix Mission at NASA
Images and videos from, and mission news and animation of, the Phoenix Mars Lander, whose mission was to dig up and analyze icy soil in Mars’s north polar region.
Mars Exploration Rovers
Mars Exploration Rovers at NASA
This mission, consisting of two rovers – Spirit and Opportunity, both launched in 2003 within days of each other – is to explore different parts of Mars in the search for evidence of liquid water.
Mars Express
Mars Express at the European Space Agency
Mars Express is an orbiting-only mission planned and executed by European Space Agency and Italian Space Agency in which NASA is a participant. It is looking at the surface and atmosphere from the point of view of Mars’s poles.
Mars Odyssey
Mars Odyssey at NASA
The 2001 Mars Odyssey’s mission is to orbit the planet to discern the surface’s composition, study its environment, and search for evidence of water and ice.
Mars Science Laboratory
Mars Science Laboratory Mission at NASA
This site details the “before” of the Mars Science Laboratory’s launch, including the possibilities for the Curiosity’s equipment and exact mission.
Mars Curiosity Rover
Mars Curiosity Rover
Follow the Curiosity! From watching the “live” video of its landing on the surface of Mars in August, 2012 to up-to-date images and videos transmitted within the past few days, this comprehensive site has everything from question-and-answer sessions with NASA scientists to following the mission on Twitter and via RSS feed.
Future Missions to Mars
Maven
NASA’s next mission to Mars called the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution, is slated for the end of 2013 and will orbit the planet to study its atmosphere and climate.
Future Missions
The possibilities are potentially limitless regarding NASA’s exploration of Mars, but this site includes several of the more probable missions, including Scout Missions, Astrobiology Field Returns, and more.
Dewey Decimal System
603 Encyclopedias
606 Organizations
629 Engineering, including aeronautics
629.4 Space Flight
Library of Congress Subject Headings
Mars (Planet) -- Exploration
Mars (Planet) -- Exploration -- Juvenile literature
Space Flight to Mars
Space Flight to Mars -- Juvenile literature
Print Resources
DeSomma, V. V. 1992. The mission to Mars and beyond. New York: Chelsea House. Call number: JUV 629.45 DES Juvenile nonfiction
O’Brien, P. 2009. You are the first kid on Mars. New York: G.P. Putnam’s Sons. Call number: JUV 919.92304 OBR Juvenile nonfiction
Wunsch, S. T. 1998. The adventures of Sojourner: the mission to Mars that thrilled the world. New York: Miyaka Press. Call number: JUV 629.455 WUN Juvenile nonfiction
Vogt, G. 1991. Viking and the Mars landing: missions in space. Brookfield, Conn.: Millbrook Press. Call number: JUV 629.435 VOG Juvenile nonfiction
Websites
Mars Overview Video
This NASA video provides an overview of the entire Mars project.
Past Missions to Mars
This webpage lists every mission that led to being able to successfully land a rover on Mars, including the six Mariner missions beginning in 1965.
The Mariner Missions
Mariner 3 and Mariner 4
Mariner 3 (November, 1964) and Mariner 4 (November, 1964 - July, 1965) were designed to do flybys of Mars.
Mariner 6 and Mariner 7
Mariner 6 (February - June, 1969) and Mariner 7 (March - August, 1969) – the first dual mission to Mars in which both flybys and analysis & recording of data took place.
Mariner 8 and Mariner 9
Mariner 8 (May, 1971) and Mariner 9 (May - November, 1971) – designed to be the first Mars orbiters.
Viking Missions
Viking Mission page at NASA
Viking Mission Detailed Information
The first mission in history to safely land a vessel upon the surface of another planet: Viking I (August, 1975 - June, 1976) and Viking II (September, 1975 - August, 1976).
“FAILED” MISSIONS TO MARS
Mars Observer
Mars Observer – launched on September 25, 1992 but communication was lost the following August, just days before it was supposed to have entered into orbit around Mars.
Mars Climate Orbiter
Mars Climate Orbiter – Launched December 11, 1998 but was likely burned up in Mars’s atmosphere after approaching too low for landing.
Mars Polar Lander / Deep Space 2
Launched January 3, 1999 and were lost on arrival on December 3, 1999.
Mars Pathfinder/Sojourner Rover
Mars Pathfinder at NASA
Mars Pathfinder archive site
The Mars Pathfinder included a lander and the Sojourner rover. It explored and sent back abundant data about the Ares Vallis, an ancient flood plain.
Mars Global Surveyor
Mars Global Surveyor at NASA
The Mars Global Surveyor orbited the planet for nine years, which was nearly four times as long as originally planned.
Phoenix
Phoenix Mission at NASA
Images and videos from, and mission news and animation of, the Phoenix Mars Lander, whose mission was to dig up and analyze icy soil in Mars’s north polar region.
Mars Exploration Rovers
Mars Exploration Rovers at NASA
This mission, consisting of two rovers – Spirit and Opportunity, both launched in 2003 within days of each other – is to explore different parts of Mars in the search for evidence of liquid water.
Mars Express
Mars Express at the European Space Agency
Mars Express is an orbiting-only mission planned and executed by European Space Agency and Italian Space Agency in which NASA is a participant. It is looking at the surface and atmosphere from the point of view of Mars’s poles.
Mars Odyssey
Mars Odyssey at NASA
The 2001 Mars Odyssey’s mission is to orbit the planet to discern the surface’s composition, study its environment, and search for evidence of water and ice.
Mars Science Laboratory
Mars Science Laboratory Mission at NASA
This site details the “before” of the Mars Science Laboratory’s launch, including the possibilities for the Curiosity’s equipment and exact mission.
Mars Curiosity Rover
Mars Curiosity Rover
Follow the Curiosity! From watching the “live” video of its landing on the surface of Mars in August, 2012 to up-to-date images and videos transmitted within the past few days, this comprehensive site has everything from question-and-answer sessions with NASA scientists to following the mission on Twitter and via RSS feed.
Future Missions to Mars
Maven
NASA’s next mission to Mars called the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution, is slated for the end of 2013 and will orbit the planet to study its atmosphere and climate.
Future Missions
The possibilities are potentially limitless regarding NASA’s exploration of Mars, but this site includes several of the more probable missions, including Scout Missions, Astrobiology Field Returns, and more.