Exploration of Mars - wikipedia Exploration of Mars Jump to : navigation , search Not to be confused with Colonization of Mars . A diagram of the Curiosity rover , landed on Mars in 2012 . Active missions at Mars from 2001 to present Year Missions 2017 8 8 2016 8 8 2015 7 7 2014 7 7 2013 5 5 2012 5 5 2011 5 5 2009 5 5 2008 6 6 2007 5 5 2006 6 6 2005 5 5 5 5 2003 2002 Active spacecraft at Mars 1971 -- 2000 Year Spacecraft 2000 1999 1998 1990 -- 1996 0 1983 -- 1988 0 1982 1981 1980 1979 1978 1976 1973 0 1972 1971 5 5 The exploration of Mars is the study of Mars by spacecraft . Probes sent from Earth , beginning in the late 20th century , have yielded a dramatic increase in knowledge about the Martian system , focused primarily on understanding its geology and habitability potential . Contents ( hide ) 1 Current status 2 Martian system 3 Launch windows 4 Past and current missions 4.1 Recent missions 4.2 Overview of missions 4.2. 1 Early Soviet missions 4.2. 1.1 1960s 4.2. 1.1. 1 The first success 4.2. 1.2 1970s 4.2. 2 Mariner program 4.2. 3 Viking program 4.2. 4 Mars Pathfinder 4.2. 5 Mars Global Surveyor 4.2. 6 Mars Odyssey and Mars Express 4.2. 7 MER and Phoenix 4.2. 8 Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter 4.2. 9 Rosetta and Dawn swingbys 4.2. 10 Fobos - Grunt 4.2. 11 Curiosity rover 4.2. 12 MAVEN 4.2. 13 Mars Orbiter Mission 4.2. 14 Trace Gas Orbiter and EDM 5 Future missions 5.1 Proposals 6 Human mission proposals 6.1 NASA 6.2 Zubrin 7 Probing difficulties 8 Timeline of Mars exploration 8.1 Totals 8.2 Yearly statistics 8.3 Timeline 8.4 Planned missions 8.4. 1 Proposals under study 8.5 Undeveloped concepts 8.5. 1 1970s 8.5. 2 1990s 8.5. 3 2000s 8.5. 4 2010s 9 See also 10 References 11 Bibliography 12 External links Current Status ( edit ) Engineering interplanetary journeys is complicated and the exploration of Mars has experienced a high failure rate , especially the early attempts . Roughly two - thirds of all spacecraft destined for Mars failed before completing their missions and some failed before their observations could begin . Some missions have met with unexpected success , such as the twin Mars Exploration Rovers , which operated for years beyond their specification . As of 16 October 2017 , two scientific rovers were on the surface of Mars beaming signals back to Earth ( Opportunity of the Mars Exploration Rover mission and Curiosity of the Mars Science Laboratory mission ) , with six orbiters surveying the planet : Mars Odyssey , Mars Express , Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter , Mars Orbiter Mission , MAVEN , and the Trace Gas Orbiter , which have contributed massive amounts of information about Mars . No sample return missions have been attempted for Mars and an attempted return mission for Mars ' moon Phobos ( Fobos - Grunt ) failed . On 24 January 2014 , NASA reported that current studies on the planet Mars by the Curiosity and Opportunity rovers will search for evidence of ancient life , including a biosphere based on autotrophic , chemotrophic and / or chemolithoautotrophic microorganisms , as well as ancient water , including fluvio - lacustrine environments ( plains related to ancient rivers or lakes ) that may have been habitable . The search for evidence of habitability , taphonomy ( related to fossils ) , and organic carbon on the planet Mars is now a primary NASA objective . Play media The landing site of each Mars mission can be seen on this rotating globe . Martian system ( edit ) Main articles : Mars , Martian surface , Atmosphere of Mars , and Moons of Mars Mars has long been the subject of human interest . Early telescopic observations revealed color changes on the surface that were attributed to seasonal vegetation and apparent linear features were ascribed to intelligent design . Further telescopic observations found two moons , Phobos and Deimos , polar ice caps and the feature now known as Olympus Mons , the solar system 's tallest mountain . The discoveries piqued further interest in the study and exploration of the red planet . Mars is a rocky planet , like Earth , that formed around the same time , yet with only half the diameter of Earth , and a far thinner atmosphere , it has a cold and desert - like surface . Launch windows ( edit ) Opportunities 2013 -- 2020 Year Launch Spacecraft ( launched or planned ) 2013 Nov 2013 MAVEN , Mars Orbiter Mission 2016 Jan 2016 -- Apr 2016 ExoMars TGO 2018 Apr 2018 -- May 2018 InSight 2020 Jul 2020 -- Sep 2020 ExoMars rover , Mars 2020 , Mars Hope , 2020 Chinese Mars Mission , Mangalyaan 2 The minimum - energy launch windows for a Martian expedition occur at intervals of approximately two years and two months ( specifically 780 days , the planet 's synodic period with respect to Earth ) . In addition , the lowest available transfer energy varies on a roughly 16 - year cycle . For example , a minimum occurred in the 1969 and 1971 launch windows , rising to a peak in the late 1970s , and hitting another low in 1986 and 1988 . Past and current missions ( edit ) Main article : List of missions to Mars Launches to Mars Decade 1960s 13 1970s 11 1980s 1990s 8 2000s 8 2010s 5 Martian sunset by Spirit rover , 2005 . North polar view by Phoenix lander , 2008 . Starting in 1960 , the Soviets launched a series of probes to Mars including the first intended flybys and hard ( impact ) landing ( Mars 1962B ) . The first successful fly - by of Mars was on 14 -- 15 July 1965 , by NASA 's Mariner 4 . On November 14 , 1971 Mariner 9 became the first space probe to orbit another planet when it entered into orbit around Mars . The amount of data returned by probes increased dramatically as technology improved . The first to contact the surface were two Soviet probes : Mars 2 lander on November 27 and Mars 3 lander on December 2 , 1971 -- Mars 2 failed during descent and Mars 3 about twenty seconds after the first Martian soft landing . Mars 6 failed during descent but did return some corrupted atmospheric data in 1974 . The 1975 NASA launches of the Viking program consisted of two orbiters , each with a lander that successfully soft landed in 1976 . Viking 1 remained operational for six years , Viking 2 for three . The Viking landers relayed the first color panoramas of Mars . The Soviet probes Phobos 1 and 2 were sent to Mars in 1988 to study Mars and its two moons , with a focus on Phobos . Phobos 1 lost contact on the way to Mars . Phobos 2 , while successfully photographing Mars and Phobos , failed before it was set to release two landers to the surface of Phobos . Roughly two - thirds of all spacecraft destined for Mars have failed without completing their missions , and it has a reputation as a difficult space exploration target . Missions that ended prematurely after Phobos 1 & 2 ( 1988 ) include ( see Probing difficulties section for more details ) : Mars Observer ( launched in 1992 ) Mars 96 ( 1996 ) Mars Climate Orbiter ( 1999 ) Mars Polar Lander with Deep Space 2 ( 1999 ) Nozomi ( 2003 ) Beagle 2 ( 2003 ) Fobos - Grunt with Yinghuo - 1 ( 2011 ) Schiaparelli lander ( 2016 ) Following the 1993 failure of the Mars Observer orbiter , the NASA Mars Global Surveyor achieved Mars orbit in 1997 . This mission was a complete success , having finished its primary mapping mission in early 2001 . Contact was lost with the probe in November 2006 during its third extended program , spending exactly 10 operational years in space . The NASA Mars Pathfinder , carrying a robotic exploration vehicle Sojourner , landed in the Ares Vallis on Mars in the summer of 1997 , returning many images . Phoenix landed on the north polar region of Mars on May 25 , 2008 . Its robotic arm dug into the Martian soil and the presence of water ice was confirmed on June 20 , 2008 . The mission concluded on November 10 , 2008 after contact was lost . In 2008 , the price of transporting material from the surface of Earth to the surface of Mars was approximately US $ 309,000 per kilogram . Rosetta came within 250 km of Mars during its 2007 flyby . Dawn flew by Mars in February 2009 for a gravity assist on its way to investigate Vesta and Ceres . Interactive imagemap of the global topography of Mars , overlain with locations of Mars landers and rovers ( Red label = Rover ; Blue label = Lander ; bold red / blue = currently active ) . Hover your mouse to see the names of over 25 prominent geographic features , and click to link to them . Coloring of the base map indicates relative elevations , based on data from the Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter on NASA 's Mars Global Surveyor . Reds and pinks are higher elevation ( + 3 km to + 8 km ) ; yellow is 0 km ; greens and blues are lower elevation ( down to − 8 km ) . Whites ( > + 12 km ) and browns ( > + 8 km ) are the highest elevations . Axes are latitude and longitude ; Poles are not shown . ( See also : Mars map & Mars Memorials & Mars Memorials map ) ( view discuss ) ← Beagle 2 ( 2003 ) Curiosity ( 2012 ) → Deep Space 2 ( 1999 ) → Mars 2 ( 1971 ) → ← Mars 3 ( 1971 ) Mars 6 ( 1973 ) → Polar Lander ( 1999 ) ↓ ↑ Opportunity ( 2004 ) ← Phoenix ( 2008 ) Schiaparelli EDM ( 2016 ) → ← Sojourner ( 1997 ) Spirit ( 2004 ) ↑ Viking 1 ( 1976 ) → Viking 2 ( 1976 ) → Recent missions ( edit ) Curiosity 's self - portrait on the planet Mars at `` Rocknest '' ( October 31 , 2012 ) . The Electra radio of the MAVEN orbiter NASA 's Mars Odyssey orbiter entered Mars orbit in 2001 . Odyssey 's Gamma Ray Spectrometer detected significant amounts of hydrogen in the upper metre or so of regolith on Mars . This hydrogen is thought to be contained in large deposits of water ice . The Mars Express mission of the European Space Agency ( ESA ) reached Mars in 2003 . It carried the Beagle 2 lander , which was not heard from after being released and was declared lost in February 2004 . Beagle 2 was located in January 2015 by HiRise camera on NASA 's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter ( MRO ) having landed safely but failed to fully deploy its solar panels and antenna . In early 2004 the Mars Express Planetary Fourier Spectrometer team announced the orbiter had detected methane in the Martian atmosphere . ESA announced in June 2006 the discovery of aurorae on Mars . In January 2004 , the NASA twin Mars Exploration Rovers named Spirit ( MER - A ) and Opportunity ( MER - B ) landed on the surface of Mars . Both have met or exceeded all their targets . Among the most significant scientific returns has been conclusive evidence that liquid water existed at some time in the past at both landing sites . Martian dust devils and windstorms have occasionally cleaned both rovers ' solar panels , and thus increased their lifespan . Spirit Rover ( MER - A ) was active until 2010 , when it stopped sending data because it had fallen into a sand dune . On 10 March 2006 , the NASA Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter ( MRO ) probe arrived in orbit to conduct a two - year science survey . The orbiter began mapping the Martian terrain and weather to find suitable landing sites for upcoming lander missions . The MRO snapped the first image of a series of active avalanches near the planet 's north pole , scientists said March 3 , 2008 . The Mars Science Laboratory mission was launched on November 26 , 2011 and it delivered the Curiosity rover , on the surface of Mars on August 6 , 2012 UTC . It is larger and more advanced than the Mars Exploration Rovers , with a velocity of up to 90 meters per hour ( 295 feet per hour ) . Experiments include a laser chemical sampler that can deduce the make - up of rocks at a distance of 7 meters . MAVEN was successfully launched aboard an Atlas V launch vehicle at the beginning of the first launch window on November 18 , 2013 . Following the first engine burn of the Centaur second stage , the vehicle coasted in low Earth orbit for 27 minutes before a second Centaur burn of five minutes to insert it into a heliocentric Mars transit orbit . On September 22 , 2014 , MAVEN reached Mars and was inserted into an areocentric elliptic orbit 6,200 km ( 3,900 mi ) by 150 km ( 93 mi ) above the planet 's surface . The Indian Space Research Organisation ( ISRO ) launched its Mars Orbiter Mission ( MOM ) on November 5 , 2013 . It was successfully inserted into Mars orbit on 24 September 2014 . India 's ISRO is the fourth space agency to reach Mars , after the Soviet space program , NASA and ESA . India became the first country to successfully get a spacecraft into Mars orbit on its maiden attempt . The ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter arrived at Mars in 2016 and deployed the Schiaparelli EDM lander , a test lander that had partial success . Crash - landed on surface , but transmitted data during descent . Overview of missions ( edit ) The following entails a brief overview of Mars exploration , oriented towards orbiters and flybys ; see also Mars landing and Mars rover . Early Soviet missions ( edit ) Main articles : Mars 1M , Mars 1 , and Mars program Mars 1M spacecraft . 1960s ( edit ) Between 1960 and 1969 , the Soviet Union launched nine probes intended to reach Mars . They all failed : three at launch ; three failed to reach near - Earth orbit ; one during the burn to put the spacecraft into trans - Mars trajectory ; and two during the interplanetary orbit . The Mars 1M programs ( sometimes dubbed Marsnik in Western media ) was the first Soviet unmanned spacecraft interplanetary exploration program , which consisted of two flyby probes launched towards Mars in October 1960 , Mars 1960A and Mars 1960B ( also known as Korabl 4 and Korabl 5 respectively ) . After launch , the third stage pumps on both launchers were unable to develop enough pressure to commence ignition , so Earth parking orbit was not achieved . The spacecraft reached an altitude of 120 km before reentry . Mars 1962A was a Mars fly - by mission , launched on October 24 , 1962 and Mars 1962B an intended first Mars lander mission , launched in late December of the same year ( 1962 ) . Both failed from either breaking up as they were going into Earth orbit or having the upper stage explode in orbit during the burn to put the spacecraft into trans - Mars trajectory . The first success ( edit ) Selected Soviet Mars probes Spacecraft Orbiter or flyby outcome Lander outcome Mars 1 Failure Failure Mars 2 Success Failure Mars 3 Partial success Partial success Mars 4 Failure N / A Mars 5 Partial success N / A Mars 6 Success Failure Mars 7 Success Failure Phobos 1 Failure Not deployed Phobos 2 Partial success Not deployed Mars 1 ( 1962 Beta Nu 1 ) , an automatic interplanetary spacecraft launched to Mars on November 1 , 1962 , was the first probe of the Soviet Mars probe program to achieve interplanetary orbit . Mars 1 was intended to fly by the planet at a distance of about 11,000 km and take images of the surface as well as send back data on cosmic radiation , micrometeoroid impacts and Mars ' magnetic field , radiation environment , atmospheric structure , and possible organic compounds . Sixty - one radio transmissions were held , initially at two - day intervals and later at 5 day intervals , from which a large amount of interplanetary data was collected . On 21 March 1963 , when the spacecraft was at a distance of 106,760,000 km from Earth , on its way to Mars , communications ceased due to failure of its antenna orientation system . In 1964 , both Soviet probe launches , of Zond 1964A on June 4 , and Zond 2 on November 30 , ( part of the Zond program ) , resulted in failures . Zond 1964A had a failure at launch , while communication was lost with Zond 2 en route to Mars after a mid-course maneuver , in early May 1965 . In 1969 , and as part of the Mars probe program , the Soviet Union prepared two identical 5 - ton orbiters called M - 69 , dubbed by NASA as Mars 1969A and Mars 1969B . Both probes were lost in launch - related complications with the newly developed Proton rocket . 1970s ( edit ) The USSR intended to have the first artificial satellite of Mars beating the planned American Mariner 8 and Mariner 9 Mars orbiters . In May 1971 , one day after Mariner 8 malfunctioned at launch and failed to reach orbit , Cosmos 419 ( Mars 1971C ) , a heavy probe of the Soviet Mars program M - 71 , also failed to launch . This spacecraft was designed as an orbiter only , while the next two probes of project M - 71 , Mars 2 and Mars 3 , were multipurpose combinations of an orbiter and a lander with small skis - walking rovers that would be the first planet rovers outside the Moon . They were successfully launched in mid-May 1971 and reached Mars about seven months later . On November 27 , 1971 the lander of Mars 2 crash - landed due to an on - board computer malfunction and became the first man - made object to reach the surface of Mars . On 2 December 1971 , the Mars 3 lander became the first spacecraft to achieve a soft landing , but its transmission was interrupted after 14.5 seconds . The Mars 2 and 3 orbiters sent back a relatively large volume of data covering the period from December 1971 to March 1972 , although transmissions continued through to August . By 22 August 1972 , after sending back data and a total of 60 pictures , Mars 2 and 3 concluded their missions . The images and data enabled creation of surface relief maps , and gave information on the Martian gravity and magnetic fields . In 1973 , the Soviet Union sent four more probes to Mars : the Mars 4 and Mars 5 orbiters and the Mars 6 and Mars 7 fly - by / lander combinations . All missions except Mars 7 sent back data , with Mars 5 being most successful . That is not to say much about the fourth missions , Mars 5 died less than three weeks after entering orbit . Mars 5 transmitted just 60 images before a loss of pressurization in the transmitter housing ended the mission . Mars 6 lander transmitted data during descent , but failed upon impact . Mars 4 flew by the planet at a range of 2200 km returning one swath of pictures and radio occultation data , which constituted the first detection of the nightside ionosphere on Mars . Mars 7 probe separated prematurely from the carrying vehicle due to a problem in the operation of one of the onboard systems ( attitude control or retro - rockets ) and missed the planet by 1,300 kilometres ( 8.7 × 10 au ) . Mariner program ( edit ) Main articles : Mariner program , Mariner 4 , Mariner 6 and 7 , and Mariner 9 The first close - up images taken of Mars in 1965 from Mariner 4 show an area about 330 km across by 1200 km from limb to bottom of frame . In 1964 , NASA 's Jet Propulsion Laboratory made two attempts at reaching Mars . Mariner 3 and Mariner 4 were identical spacecraft designed to carry out the first flybys of Mars . Mariner 3 was launched on November 5 , 1964 , but the shroud encasing the spacecraft atop its rocket failed to open properly , dooming the mission . Three weeks later , on November 28 , 1964 , Mariner 4 was launched successfully on a 71⁄2 - month voyage to Mars ... Mariner 4 flew past Mars on July 14 , 1965 , providing the first close - up photographs of another planet . The pictures , gradually played back to Earth from a small tape recorder on the probe , showed impact craters . It provided radically more accurate data about the planet ; a surface atmospheric pressure of about 1 % of Earth 's and daytime temperatures of − 100 ° C ( − 148 ° F ) were estimated . No magnetic field or Martian radiation belts were detected . The new data meant redesigns for then planned Martian landers , and showed life would have a more difficult time surviving there than previously anticipated . Mariner Crater , as seen by Mariner 4 . The location is Phaethontis quadrangle . NASA continued the Mariner program with another pair of Mars flyby probes , Mariner 6 and 7 . They were sent at the next launch window , and reached the planet in 1969 . During the following launch window the Mariner program again suffered the loss of one of a pair of probes . Mariner 9 successfully entered orbit about Mars , the first spacecraft ever to do so , after the launch time failure of its sister ship , Mariner 8 . When Mariner 9 reached Mars in 1971 , it and two Soviet orbiters ( Mars 2 and Mars 3 , see Mars probe program below ) found that a planet - wide dust storm was in progress . The mission controllers used the time spent waiting for the storm to clear to have the probe rendezvous with , and photograph , Phobos . When the storm cleared sufficiently for Mars ' surface to be photographed by Mariner 9 , the pictures returned represented a substantial advance over previous missions . These pictures were the first to offer more detailed evidence that liquid water might at one time have flowed on the planetary surface . They also finally discerned the true nature of many Martian albedo features . For example , Nix Olympica was one of only a few features that could be seen during the planetary duststorm , revealing it to be the highest mountain ( volcano , to be exact ) on any planet in the entire Solar System , and leading to its reclassification as Olympus Mons . Viking program ( edit ) Main articles : Viking program , Viking 1 , Viking 2 , and Viking spacecraft biological experiments The Viking program launched Viking 1 and 2 spacecraft to Mars in 1975 ; The program consisted of two orbiters and two landers -- these were the first two spacecraft to successfully land and operate on Mars . Viking 1 lander site ( 1st color , July 21 , 1976 ) . Viking 2 lander site ( 1st color , September 5 , 1976 ) . Viking 2 lander site ( September 25 , 1977 ) . ( False color image ) Frost at Viking 2 site ( May 18 , 1979 ) . Martian sunset over Chryse Planitia at Viking 1 site ( August 20 , 1976 ) . The primary scientific objectives of the lander mission were to search for biosignatures and observe meteorologic , seismic and magnetic properties of Mars . The results of the biological experiments on board the Viking landers remain inconclusive , with a reanalysis of the Viking data published in 2012 suggesting signs of microbial life on Mars . Flood erosion at Dromore crater . Tear - drop shaped islands at Oxia Palus . Streamlined islands in Lunae Palus . Scour patterns located in Lunae Palus . The Viking orbiters revealed that large floods of water carved deep valleys , eroded grooves into bedrock , and traveled thousands of kilometers . Areas of branched streams , in the southern hemisphere , suggest that rain once fell . Mars Pathfinder ( edit ) Sojourner takes Alpha Proton X-ray Spectrometer measurements of the Yogi Rock . Main articles : Mars Pathfinder and Mars landing Mars Pathfinder was a U.S. spacecraft that landed a base station with a roving probe on Mars on July 4 , 1997 . It consisted of a lander and a small 10.6 kilograms ( 23 lb ) wheeled robotic rover named Sojourner , which was the first rover to operate on the surface of Mars . In addition to scientific objectives , the Mars Pathfinder mission was also a `` proof - of - concept '' for various technologies , such as an airbag landing system and automated obstacle avoidance , both later exploited by the Mars Exploration Rovers . Mars Global Surveyor ( edit ) Main article : Mars Global Surveyor Gullies , similar to those formed on Earth , are visible on this image from Mars Global Surveyor . After the 1992 failure of NASA 's Mars Observer orbiter , NASA retooled and launched Mars Global Surveyor ( MGS ) . Mars Global Surveyor launched on November 7 , 1996 , and entered orbit on September 12 , 1997 . After a year and a half trimming its orbit from a looping ellipse to a circular track around the planet , the spacecraft began its primary mapping mission in March 1999 . It observed the planet from a low - altitude , nearly polar orbit over the course of one complete Martian year , the equivalent of nearly two Earth years . Mars Global Surveyor completed its primary mission on January 31 , 2001 , and completed several extended mission phases . The mission studied the entire Martian surface , atmosphere , and interior , and returned more data about the red planet than all previous Mars missions combined . The data has been archived and remains available publicly . A color - coded elevation map produced from data collected by Mars Global Surveyor indicating the result of floods on Mars . Among key scientific findings , Global Surveyor took pictures of gullies and debris flow features that suggest there may be current sources of liquid water , similar to an aquifer , at or near the surface of the planet . Similar channels on Earth are formed by flowing water , but on Mars the temperature is normally too cold and the atmosphere too thin to sustain liquid water . Nevertheless , many scientists hypothesize that liquid groundwater can sometimes surface on Mars , erode gullies and channels , and pool at the bottom before freezing and evaporating . Magnetometer readings showed that the planet 's magnetic field is not globally generated in the planet 's core , but is localized in particular areas of the crust . New temperature data and closeup images of the Martian moon Phobos showed that its surface is composed of powdery material at least 1 metre ( 3 feet ) thick , caused by millions of years of meteoroid impacts . Data from the spacecraft 's laser altimeter gave scientists their first 3 - D views of Mars ' north polar ice cap . On November 5 , 2006 MGS lost contact with Earth . NASA ended efforts to restore communication on January 28 , 2007 . Mars Odyssey and Mars Express ( edit ) Main articles : 2001 Mars Odyssey and Mars Express In 2001 , NASA 's Mars Odyssey orbiter arrived at Mars . Its mission is to use spectrometers and imagers to hunt for evidence of past or present water and volcanic activity on Mars . In 2002 , it was announced that the probe 's gamma - ray spectrometer and neutron spectrometer had detected large amounts of hydrogen , indicating that there are vast deposits of water ice in the upper three meters of Mars ' soil within 60 ° latitude of the south pole . On June 2 , 2003 , the European Space Agency 's Mars Express set off from Baikonur Cosmodrome to Mars . The Mars Express craft consists of the Mars Express Orbiter and the stationary lander Beagle 2 . The lander carried a digging device and the smallest mass spectrometer created to date , as well as a range of other devices , on a robotic arm in order to accurately analyze soil beneath the dusty surface to look for biosignatures and biomolecules . The orbiter entered Mars orbit on December 25 , 2003 , and Beagle 2 entered Mars ' atmosphere the same day . However , attempts to contact the lander failed . Communications attempts continued throughout January , but Beagle 2 was declared lost in mid-February , and a joint inquiry was launched by the UK and ESA . The Mars Express Orbiter confirmed the presence of water ice and carbon dioxide ice at the planet 's south pole , while NASA had previously confirmed their presence at the north pole of Mars . The lander 's fate remained a mystery until it was located intact on the surface of Mars in a series of images from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter . The images suggest that two of the spacecraft 's four solar panels failed to deploy , blocking the spacecraft 's communications antenna . Beagle 2 is the first British and first European probe to achieve a soft landing on Mars . MER and Phoenix ( edit ) Main articles : Mars Exploration Rover , Opportunity rover , Spirit rover , and Phoenix lander See also : Mars landing Polar surface as seen by the Phoenix lander . NASA 's Mars Exploration Rover Mission ( MER ) , started in 2003 , is an ongoing robotic space mission involving two rovers , Spirit ( MER - A ) and Opportunity , ( MER - B ) exploring the Martian surface geology . The mission 's scientific objective is to search for and characterize a wide range of rocks and soils that hold clues to past water activity on Mars . The mission is part of NASA 's Mars Exploration Program , which includes three previous successful landers : the two Viking program landers in 1976 ; and Mars Pathfinder probe in 1997 . Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter ( edit ) Main article : Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Slope streaks as seen by HiRise The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter ( MRO ) is a multipurpose spacecraft designed to conduct reconnaissance and exploration of Mars from orbit . The $720 million USD spacecraft was built by Lockheed Martin under the supervision of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory , launched August 12 , 2005 , and entered Mars orbit on March 10 , 2006 . The MRO contains a host of scientific instruments such as the HiRISE camera , CTX camera , CRISM , and SHARAD . The HiRISE camera is used to analyze Martian landforms , whereas CRISM and SHARAD can detect water , ice , and minerals on and below the surface . Additionally , MRO is paving the way for upcoming generations of spacecraft through daily monitoring of Martian weather and surface conditions , searching for future landing sites , and testing a new telecommunications system that enable it to send and receive information at an unprecedented bitrate , compared to previous Mars spacecraft . Data transfer to and from the spacecraft occurs faster than all previous interplanetary missions combined and allows it to serve as an important relay satellite for other missions . Rosetta and Dawn swingbys ( edit ) Main articles : Rosetta ( spacecraft ) and Dawn Mission The ESA Rosetta space probe mission to the comet 67P / Churyumov - Gerasimenko flew within 250 km of Mars on February 25 , 2007 , in a gravitational slingshot designed to slow and redirect the spacecraft . The NASA Dawn spacecraft used the gravity of Mars in 2009 to change direction and velocity on its way to Vesta , and tested out Dawn 's cameras and other instruments on Mars . Fobos - Grunt ( edit ) Main article : Fobos - Grunt In November 8 , 2011 , Russia 's Roscosmos launched an ambitious mission called Fobos - Grunt . It consisted of a lander aimed to retrieve a sample back to Earth from Mars ' moon Phobos , and place the Chinese Yinghuo - 1 probe in Mars ' orbit . The Fobos - Grunt mission suffered a complete control and communications failure shortly after launch and was left stranded in low Earth orbit , later falling back to Earth . The Yinghuo - 1 satellite and Fobos - Grunt underwent destructive re-entry on January 15 , 2012 , finally disintegrating over the Pacific Ocean . Curiosity rover ( edit ) Main articles : Mars Science Laboratory , Curiosity rover , and Timeline of Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity 's view of Aeolis Mons ( `` Mount Sharp '' ) foothills on August 9 , 2012 EDT ( white balanced image ) . The NASA Mars Science Laboratory mission with its rover named Curiosity , was launched on November 26 , 2011 , and landed on Mars on August 6 , 2012 on Aeolis Palus in Gale Crater . The rover carries instruments designed to look for past or present conditions relevant to the past or present habitability of Mars . MAVEN ( edit ) NASA 's MAVEN is an orbiter mission to study the upper atmosphere of Mars . It will also serve as a communications relay satellite for robotic landers and rovers on the surface of Mars . MAVEN was launched 18 November 2013 and reached Mars on 22 September 2014 . Mars Orbiter mission ( edit ) The Mars Orbiter Mission , also called Mangalyaan , was launched on 5 November 2013 by the Indian Space Research Organisation ( ISRO ) . It was successfully inserted into Martian orbit on 24 September 2014 . The mission is a technology demonstrator , and as secondary objective , it will also study the Martian atmosphere . This is India 's first mission to Mars , and with it , ISRO became the fourth space agency to successfully reach Mars after the Soviet Union , NASA ( USA ) and ESA ( Europe ) . It also made ISRO the second space agency to reach Mars orbit on its first attempt ( the first national one , after the international ESA ) , and also the first Asian country to successfully send an orbiter to Mars . It was completed in a record low budget of $71 million , making it the least - expensive Mars mission to date . Trace Gas Orbiter and EDM ( edit ) Main articles : Trace Gas Orbiter and Schiaparelli EDM lander The ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter is an atmospheric research orbiter built in collaboration between ESA and Roscosmos . It was injected into Mars orbit on 19 October 2016 to gain a better understanding of methane ( CH ) and other trace gases present in the Martian atmosphere that could be evidence for possible biological or geological activity . Future missions ( edit ) See also : Mars sample return mission Computer - design drawing for NASA 's 2020 Mars Rover . In August 2012 , NASA selected InSight , a $425 million lander mission , with a drill and seismometer to determine the interior structure of Mars . Two flyby CubeSats called MarCO will be launched with InSight to provide real - time telemetry during the entry and landing of InSight . The CubeSats will separate from the Atlas V booster after launch and travel on their own trajectories to Mars . The launch has been rescheduled from March 2016 to May 2018 . As part of the ExoMars program , ESA and the Russian Federal Space Agency plan to send the ExoMars rover in 2020 to search for past or present microscopic life on Mars . The Mars 2020 rover mission by NASA will be launched in 2020 , and it is based on the Mars Science Laboratory design . The scientific payload will be focused on astrobiology . The 2020 Chinese Mars Mission is planned to comprise an orbiter , a lander and a small rover . The United Arab Emirates will send an orbiter to Mars , the Emirates Mars Mission , in 2020 . The ISRO plans to send a follow up mission to its Mars Orbiter Mission in the 2021 -- 2022 timeframe ; it is called Mangalyaan 2 . This mission will consist of an orbiter , and probably a rover . Proposals ( edit ) The Finnish - Russian Mars MetNet concept would use multiple small meteorological stations on Mars to establish a widespread observation network to investigate the planet 's atmospheric structure , physics and meteorology . The MetNet precursor or demonstrator was considered for a piggyback launch on Fobos - Grunt , and on the two proposed to fly on the 2016 and 2020 ExoMars spacecraft . The Mars - Grunt is a Russian mission concept to bring a sample of Martian soil to Earth . A ESA - NASA team produced a three - launch architecture concept for a Mars sample return , which uses a rover to cache small samples , a Mars ascent stage to send it into orbit , and an orbiter to rendezvous with it above Mars and take it to Earth . Solar - electric propulsion could allow a one launch sample return instead of three . The Mars Scout Program 's SCIM would involve a probe grazing the upper atmosphere of Mars to collect dust and air for return to Earth . On 10 Nov 2014 , China unveiled a prototype model of a Mars rover based on its lunar rover Yutu at an annual air show at Zhuhai . The CASC also said that a mission including an orbiter , lander and the rover ( 2020 Chinese Mars Mission ) will be sent in 2020 . Japan is working on a mission concept called MELOS rover that would look for biosignatures of extant life on Mars . Other future mission concepts include polar probes , Martian aircraft and a network of small meteorological stations . Longterm areas of study may include Martian lava tubes , resource utilization , and electronic charge carriers in rocks . Micromissions are another possibility , such as piggybacking a small spacecraft on an Ariane 5 rocket and using a lunar gravity assist to get to Mars . Human mission proposals ( edit ) Concept for NASA Design Reference Mission Architecture 5.0 ( 2009 ) . Main article : Human mission to Mars Many people have long advocated a human mission to Mars , perhaps eventually leading to the permanent colonization of Mars , as the next logical step for a human space program after lunar exploration . Aside from the prestige such a mission would bring , advocates argue that humans would easily be able to outperform robotic explorers , justifying the expense . Aerospace engineer Bob Zubrin is one of the proponents of such missions . Some critics contend unmanned robots can perform better than humans at a fraction of the expense . If life exists on Mars , a human mission could contaminate it by introducing earthly microbes , so robotic exploration would be preferable . NASA ( edit ) Artistic simulated photo looking out a portal spacecraft coming for a Mars landing . Human exploration by the United States was identified as a long - term goal in the Vision for Space Exploration announced in 2004 by then US President George W. Bush . The planned Orion spacecraft would be used to send a human expedition to Earth 's moon by 2020 as a stepping stone to a Mars expedition . On September 28 , 2007 , NASA administrator Michael D. Griffin stated that NASA aims to put a person on Mars by 2037 . On December 2 , 2014 , NASA 's Advanced Human Exploration Systems and Operations Mission Director Jason Crusan and Deputy Associate Administrator for Programs James Reuthner announced tentative support for the Boeing `` Affordable Mars Mission Design '' including radiation shielding , centrifugal artificial gravity , in - transit consumable resupply , and a lander which can return . Reuthner suggested that if adequate funding was forthcoming , the proposed mission would be expected in the early 2030s . On October 8 , 2015 , NASA published its official plan for human exploration and colonization of Mars . They called it `` Journey to Mars '' . The plan operates through three distinct phases leading up to fully sustained colonization . The first stage , already underway , is the `` Earth Reliant '' phase . This phase continues utilizing the International Space Station until 2024 ; validating deep space technologies and studying the effects of long duration space missions on the human body . The second stage , `` Proving Ground , '' moves away from Earth reliance and ventures into cislunar space for most of its tasks . This is when NASA plans to capture an asteroid ( planned for 2020 ) , test deep space habitation facilities , and validate capabilities required for human exploration of Mars . Finally , phase three is the transition to independence from Earth resources . The last stage , the `` Earth Independent '' phase , includes long term missions on the lunar surface which leverage surface habitats that only require routine maintenance , and the harvesting of Martian resources for fuel , water , and building materials . NASA is still aiming for human missions to Mars in the 2030s , though Earth independence could take decades longer . Journey to Mars -- Science , Exploration , Technology . On August 28 , 2015 , NASA funded a year long simulation to study the effects of a year long Mars mission on six scientists . The scientists lived in a bio dome on a Mauna Loa mountain in Hawaii with limited connection to the outside world and were only allowed outside if they were wearing spacesuits . NASAs human Mars exploration plans have evolved through the NASA Mars Design Reference Missions , a series of design studies for human exploration of Mars . Zubrin ( edit ) Mars Direct , a low - cost human mission proposed by Robert Zubrin , founder of the Mars Society , would use heavy - lift Saturn V class rockets , such as the Ares V , to skip orbital construction , LEO rendezvous , and lunar fuel depots . A modified proposal , called `` Mars to Stay '' , involves not returning the first immigrant explorers immediately , if ever ( see Colonization of Mars ) . Probing difficulties ( edit ) Deep Space 2 technology Mars Spacecraft 1988 -- 1999 Spacecraft Outcome Phobos 1 Failure Phobos 2 Failure Mars Observer Failure Mars 96 Failure Mars Pathfinder Success Mars Global Surveyor Success Mars Climate Orbiter Failure Mars Polar Lander Failure Deep Space 2 Failure Nozomi Failure The challenge , complexity and length of Mars missions have led to many mission failures . The high failure rate of missions launched from Earth attempting to explore Mars is informally called the `` Mars Curse '' or `` Martian Curse '' . The phrase `` Galactic Ghoul '' or `` Great Galactic Ghoul '' , referring to a fictitious space monster that subsists on a diet of Mars probes , was coined in 1997 by Time Magazine journalist Donald Neff , and is sometimes facetiously used to `` explain '' the recurring difficulties . Two Soviet probes were sent to Mars in 1988 as part of the Phobos program . Phobos 1 operated normally until an expected communications session on 2 September 1988 failed to occur . The problem was traced to a software error , which deactivated attitude thrusters causing the spacecrafts ' solar arrays to no longer point at the Sun , depleting Phobos 1 batteries . Phobos 2 operated normally throughout its cruise and Mars orbital insertion phases on January 29 , 1989 , gathering data on the Sun , interplanetary medium , Mars , and Phobos . Shortly before the final phase of the mission , during which the spacecraft was to approach within 50 m of Phobos ' surface and release two landers , one a mobile ' hopper ' , the other a stationary platform , contact with Phobos 2 was lost . The mission ended when the spacecraft signal failed to be successfully reacquired on March 27 , 1989 . The cause of the failure was determined to be a malfunction of the on - board computer . Just a few years later in 1992 Mars Observer , launched by NASA , failed as it approached Mars . Mars 96 , an orbiter launched on November 16 , 1996 by Russia failed , when the planned second burn of the Block D - 2 fourth stage did not occur . Following the success of Global Surveyor and Pathfinder , another spate of failures occurred in 1998 and 1999 , with the Japanese Nozomi orbiter and NASA 's Mars Climate Orbiter , Mars Polar Lander , and Deep Space 2 penetrators all suffering various fatal errors . The Mars Climate Orbiter was noted for mixing up U.S. customary units with metric units , causing the orbiter to burn up while entering Mars ' atmosphere . The European Space Agency has also attempted to land two probes on the Martian surface ; Beagle 2 , a British - built lander that failed to deploy its solar arrays properly after touchdown in December 2003 , and Schiaparelli , which was flown along the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter . Contact with the Schiaparelli EDM lander was lost 50 seconds before touchdown . It was later confirmed that the lander struck the surface at a high velocity , possibly exploding . Timeline of Mars Exploration ( edit ) Source : Totals ( edit ) Mission type Success rate Total attempts Success Partial success Launch failure Failed en route Failed to orbit / land Flyby 45 % 11 5 0 0 Orbiter 50 % 23 10 5 Lander 53 % 15 7 0 Rover 66 % 6 0 0 0 Total 53 % 55 26 9 8 9 Yearly statistics ( edit ) This chart lists launches to Mars , two other considerations are how long the mission lasts . For example , there were not many missions launched in the late 1970s , but this was a time where the Viking program had two orbiters and two landers active at Mars , and one lander remained active until 1982 . Another consideration is size and effort of each mission . 5 1960 1965 1970 1980 1985 1995 2000 2005 2015 2020 failure partial success success in transit scheduled Timeline ( edit ) Mission ( 1960 -- 1969 ) Launch Arrival at Mars Termination Elements Outcome Mission budget , bn USD Launch mass , t Mass of orbiter / lander / rover , t Mars 1M No. 1 10 October 1960 10 October 1960 Flyby Failure ( at launch ) 0.66 Mars 1M No. 2 14 October 1960 14 October 1960 Flyby Failure ( at launch ) 0.66 Mars 2MV - 4 No. 1 24 October 1962 24 October 1962 Flyby Failure ( broke up shortly after launch ) 0.88 Mars 1 1 November 1962 21 March 1963 Flyby Partial success : some data collected , but lost contact before reaching Mars , flyby at approx. 193,000 km 0.89 Mars 2MV - 3 No. 1 4 November 1962 19 January 1963 Lander Failure ( failed to leave Earth 's orbit ) 0.90 0.26 Mariner 3 5 November 1964 5 November 1964 Flyby Failure during launch ruined trajectory 0.26 Mariner 4 28 November 1964 14 July 1965 21 December 1967 Flyby Success ( 21 images returned ) 0.08 0.26 Zond 2 30 November 1964 May 1965 Flyby ( intended lander ) Failure ( communication lost three months before reaching Mars ) 0.98 Mariner 6 25 February 1969 31 July 1969 August 1969 Flyby Success 0.41 Mariner 7 27 March 1969 5 August 1969 August 1969 Flyby Success 0.41 Mars 2M No. 521 27 March 1969 27 March 1969 Orbiter Failure ( at launch ) 3.55 2.10 Mars 2M No. 522 2 April 1969 2 April 1969 Orbiter Failure ( at launch ) 3.55 2.10 Mission ( 1970 -- 1989 ) Launch Arrival at Mars Termination Elements Outcome Mission budget , bn USD Launch mass , t Mass of orbiter / lander / rover , t Mariner 8 8 May 1971 8 May 1971 Orbiter Failure ( at launch ) 1.00 0.60 Kosmos 419 10 May 1971 12 May 1971 Orbiter Failure ( at launch ) 3.80 2.50 Mariner 9 30 May 1971 14 November 1971 27 October 1972 Orbiter Success ( first successful orbit ) 1.00 0.52 Mars 2 19 May 1971 27 November 1971 22 August 1972 Orbiter Success 4.65 2.50 27 November 1971 Lander , rover Failure . Crashed on surface of Mars 0.85 Mars 3 28 May 1971 2 December 1971 22 August 1972 Orbiter Success 4.65 2.50 2 December 1971 Lander , rover Partial success . First successful landing ; landed softly but ceased transmission within 15 seconds 0.85 Mars 4 21 July 1973 10 February 1974 10 February 1974 Orbiter Partial success ( could not enter orbit , made a close flyby ) 3.55 2.40 Mars 5 25 July 1973 2 February 1974 21 February 1974 Orbiter Partial success . Entered orbit and returned data , but failed within 9 days 3.55 2.40 Mars 6 5 August 1973 12 March 1974 12 March 1974 Lander Partial success . Data returned during descent but not after landing on Mars 4.55 0.85 Mars 7 9 August 1973 9 March 1974 9 March 1974 Lander Failure . Landing probe separated prematurely ; entered heliocentric orbit 4.55 0.85 Viking 1 20 August 1975 20 July 1976 17 August 1980 Orbiter Success 0.5 3.53 2.33 13 November 1982 Lander Success 0.61 Viking 2 9 September 1975 3 September 1976 25 July 1978 Orbiter Success 0.5 3.53 2.33 11 April 1980 Lander Success 0.61 Phobos 1 7 July 1988 2 September 1988 Orbiter Partial success . Returned some data . Contact lost while en route to Mars 6.22 Lander Failure . Not deployed 0.09 Phobos 2 12 July 1988 29 January 1989 27 March 1989 Orbiter Partial success : entered orbit and returned some data . Contact lost just before deployment of landers 6.22 Landers Failure . Not deployed 0.07 Mission ( 1990 -- 1999 ) Launch Arrival at Mars Termination Elements Outcome Mission budget , bn USD Launch mass , t Mass of orbiter / lander / rover , t Mars Observer 25 September 1992 24 August 1993 21 August 1993 Orbiter Failure . Lost contact just before arrival 0.8 2.5 Mars Global Surveyor 7 November 1996 11 September 1997 5 November 2006 Orbiter Success 0.74 Mars 96 16 November 1996 17 November 1996 Orbiter , lander , penetrator Failure ( at launch ) 6.83 2.59 Mars Pathfinder 4 December 1996 4 July 1997 27 September 1997 Lander Success 0.89 0.36 Sojourner Rover Success Nozomi ( Planet - B ) 3 July 1998 9 December 2003 Orbiter Failure . Complications while en route ; Never entered orbit 0.54 0.26 Mars Climate Orbiter 11 December 1998 23 September 1999 23 September 1999 Orbiter Failure . Crashed on surface due to metric - imperial mix - up 0.63 0.54 Mars Polar Lander 3 January 1999 3 December 1999 3 December 1999 Lander Failure . Crash - landed on surface due to improper hardware testing 0.58 0.29 Deep Space 2 ( DS2 ) Hard landers Mission ( 2000 -- 2009 ) Launch Arrival at Mars Termination Elements Outcome Mission budget , bn USD Launch mass , t Mass of orbiter / lander / rover , t 2001 Mars Odyssey 7 April 2001 24 October 2001 Currently operational Orbiter Success 0.3 0.73 0.33 Mars Express 2 June 2003 25 December 2003 Currently operational Orbiter Success 0.3 1.12 0.60 Beagle 2 6 February 2004 Lander Failure . Landed safely but failed to fully deploy . Could not return any data . 0.06 MER - A Spirit 10 June 2003 4 January 2004 22 March 2011 Rover Success MER - B Opportunity 7 July 2003 25 January 2004 Currently operational Rover Success 0.4 Rosetta 2 March 2004 25 February 2007 30 September 2016 Flyby / Gravity assist en route to comet 67P / Churyumov - Gerasimenko Success ( successful Mars flyby ) . 1.8 Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter 12 August 2005 10 March 2006 Currently operational Orbiter Success 0.7 Phoenix 4 August 2007 25 May 2008 10 November 2008 Lander Success 0.4 Dawn 27 September 2007 17 February 2009 Currently operational Flyby -- gravity assist to Vesta Success ( successful Mars flyby ) . 0.4 Mission ( 2010 -- 2019 ) Launch Arrival at Mars Termination Elements Outcome Mission budget , bn USD Launch mass , t Mass of orbiter / lander / rover , t Fobos - Grunt 8 November 2011 8 November 2011 Phobos lander , sample return Failure . Failed to leave Earth orbit . Fell back to Earth . 0.2 13.5 2.30 Yinghuo - 1 8 November 2011 Orbiter 0.12 MSL Curiosity 26 November 2011 6 August 2012 Currently operational Rover Success 2.5 3.89 2.91 Mars Orbiter Mission 5 November 2013 24 September 2014 Currently operational Orbiter Success 0.07 1.34 0.50 MAVEN 18 November 2013 22 September 2014 Currently operational Orbiter Success 0.7 2.45 0.81 ExoMars TGO March 14 , 2016 October 19 , 2016 Currently operational Orbiter Success 4.33 1.43 Schiaparelli October 19 , 2016 Lander Partial success . Crash - landed on surface , but transmitted data during descent . 0.60 Planned missions ( edit ) Name Estimated launch Elements Notes InSight 5 May 2018 Lander Study interior structure of Mars . Mars Cube One 2 probes , flyby To provide telemetry during atmospheric entry and landing of InSight . ExoMars 2020 Surface platform Meteorological tests , and deployment of rover . Rover Search for the existence of past or present life on Mars . Mars 2020 2020 Rover Astrobiology objectives ; rover is based on the Curiosity rover . Mars Hope 2020 Orbiter Atmospheric studies ; would become the first Arab probe to Mars . Mars Global Remote Sensing Orbiter and Small Rover 2020 Orbiter , rover Technology demonstration ; science Proposals under study ( edit ) Name Proposed launch Elements Notes Mars MetNet precursor 2018 or later Single impact lander test Precursor for multi-lander network . Mars MetNet after precursor Multi-lander network Simultaneous meteorological measurements at multiple locations . Mars Geyser Hopper 2018 Lander Would have the ability to fly or `` hop '' at least twice from its landed location to reposition itself close to a CO geyser site . Northern Light 2018 Lander , rover Mission designed by Canadian organisations and Thoth Technology Inc . Mangalyaan 2 2018 -- 2020 Orbiter , lander Mars orbiter and lander launched by a GSLV launcher . Icebreaker Life 2018 or 2020 Stationary lander Based on the 2008 Phoenix lander , would perform astrobiology tests on sub-surface ice . PADME 2020 Orbiter Would study Phobos and Deimos Inspiration Mars Foundation 2021 Manned flyby Private mission to send two humans around Mars on a free return trajectory , without landing . Martian Moons Exploration 2022 Lander , sample return Sample return from Phobos and remote sensing of Deimos ; will also observe the atmosphere of Mars Mars 2022 2022 Orbiter Communications relay , mapping Phootprint 2024 Lander and ascent stage Mars moon sample return mission . Fobos - Grunt ( repeat mission ) 2024 Lander , ascent stage Phobos sample return . Mars Orbiter 2027 Orbiter First South Korean Mars exploration . MELOS 2020s Rover A rover ; may include a small aircraft Mars - Grunt 2020s Orbiter , lander , ascent stage Single launch Mars sample return . BOLD 2020s 6 impact landers The Biological Oxidant and Life Detection would perform astrobiology tests on sub-surface soil . Mars Lander 2030 Lander First South Korean Mars landing mission . Undeveloped concepts ( edit ) 1970s ( edit ) Mars 4NM and Mars 5NM -- projects intended by the Soviet Union for heavy Marsokhod ( in 1973 according to initial plan of 1970 ) and Mars sample return ( planned for 1975 ) missions by launching on N1 ( rocket ) that has never flown successfully . Mars 5M ( Mars - 79 ) -- double - launching Soviet sample return mission planned to 1979 but cancelled due to complexity and technical problems Voyager - Mars -- USA , 1970s -- Two orbiters and two landers , launched by a single Saturn V rocket . 1990s ( edit ) Vesta -- the multiaimed Soviet mission , developed in cooperation with European countries for realisation in 1991 -- 1994 but canceled due to the Soviet Union disbanding , included the flyby of Mars with delivering the aerostat and small landers or penetrators followed by flybys of 1 Ceres or 4 Vesta and some other asteroids with impact of penetrator on the one of them . Mars Aerostat -- Russian / French balloon part for cancelled Vesta mission and then for failed Mars 96 mission , originally planned for the 1992 launch window , postponed to 1994 and then to 1996 before being cancelled . Mars Together , combined U.S. and Russian mission study in the 1990s . To be launched by a Molinya with possible U.S. orbiter or lander . Mars Environmental Survey -- set of 16 landers planned for 1999 -- 2009 Mars - 98 -- Russian mission including an orbiter , lander , and rover , planned for 1998 launch opportunity as repeat of failured Mars 96 mission and cancelled due to lack of funding 2000s ( edit ) Mars Surveyor 2001 Lander -- October 2001 -- Mars lander ( refurbished , became Phoenix lander ) Kitty Hawk -- Mars airplane micromission , proposed for December 17 , 2003 , the centennial of the Wright brothers ' first flight . Its funding was eventually given to the 2003 Mars Network project . NetLander -- 2007 or 2009 -- Mars netlanders Beagle 3 -- 2009 British lander mission meant to search for life , past or present . Mars Telecommunications Orbiter -- September 2009 -- Mars orbiter for telecommunications 2010s ( edit ) Sky - Sailor -- 2014 -- Plane developed by Switzerland to take detailed pictures of Mars surface Mars Astrobiology Explorer - Cacher -- 2018 rover Red Dragon -- Derivative of a Dragon 2 capsule by SpaceX , designed to land by aerobraking and retropropulsion . Planned for 2018 , then 2020 . Cancelled in favor of an unspecified new landing method on future larger spacecraft . Tumbleweed rover . Mars One , orbiters , lander , rover . See also ( edit ) Mars portal Spaceflight portal Robotics portal Mars Colonization of Mars Human mission to Mars Life on Mars List of artificial objects on Mars List of missions to Mars Mars landing Mars race Mars rover Mars Scout Program Mars Society General Observations and explorations of Venus Space colonization Space exploration Space weather Timeline of Solar System exploration References ( edit ) ^ Jump up to : Grotzinger , John P. 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Post ( 2014 ) `` An Affordable Mars Mission Design '' Archived 2015 - 05 - 07 at the Wayback Machine . ( Houston , Texas : Boeing Co . ) Jump up ^ M.L. Raftery ( May 14 , 2014 ) `` Mission to Mars in Six ( not so easy ) Pieces '' ( Houston , Texas : Boeing Co . ) Jump up ^ NASA ( December 2 , 2014 ) `` NASA 's Journey to Mars News Briefing '' NASA TV Jump up ^ Mahoney , Erin . `` NASA Releases Plan Outlining Next Steps in the Journey to Mars '' . NASA . Retrieved 2015 - 10 - 12 . Jump up ^ `` NASA 's Journey To Mars : Pioneering Next Steps in Space Exploration '' ( PDF ) . www.nasa.gov . NASA . October 8 , 2015 . Retrieved October 10 , 2015 . Jump up ^ CNN , James Griffiths . `` Mars simulation crew ' return to Earth ' after 365 days in isolation '' . CNN . Retrieved 2016 - 08 - 29 . Jump up ^ Slawson , Nicola ; agencies ( 2016 - 08 - 28 ) . `` Mars scientists leave dome on Hawaii mountain after year in isolation '' . The Guardian . ISSN 0261 - 3077 . 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URL accessed April 7 , 2006 . Jump up ^ Matthews , John & Caitlin . `` The Element Encyclopedia of Magical Creatures '' , Barnes & Noble Publishing , 2005 . ISBN 0 - 7607 - 7885 - X Jump up ^ Dinerman , Taylor ( 2004 - 09 - 27 ) . `` Is the Great Galactic Ghoul losing his appetite ? '' . The space review . Retrieved 2007 - 03 - 27 . Jump up ^ Igor Lissov , with comments from Jim Oberg ( 1996 - 09 - 19 ) . `` What Really Happened With Mars - 96 ? '' . Federation of American Scientists . Retrieved 2012 - 08 - 20 . Jump up ^ `` CNN -- Metric mishap caused loss of NASA orbiter -- September 30 , 1999 '' . cnn.com . Retrieved 9 February 2017 . Jump up ^ Amos , Jonathan ( 2016 - 10 - 20 ) . `` Schiaparelli Mars probe 's parachute ' jettisoned too early ' '' . BBC News . Retrieved 2016 - 10 - 20 . Jump up ^ `` Space Images Schiaparelli Impact Site on Mars , in Color '' . Jpl.nasa.gov. 2016 - 10 - 19 . Retrieved 2016 - 11 - 04 . Jump up ^ Mars Exploration Program : Historical Log . Mars.jpl.nasa.gov . Retrieved on 2012 - 08 - 14 . ^ Jump up to : `` Таблица запусков автоматических межпланетных танций '' ( Table of launches of automatic interplanetary stations ) . airbase.ru . Retrieved 9 February 2017 . Jump up ^ `` NASA -- NSSDCA -- Spacecraft -- Details '' . nasa.gov . Retrieved 9 February 2017 . Jump up ^ Siddiqi , Asif A. ( 2002 ) . `` 1973 '' . Deep Space Chronicle : A Chronology of Deep Space and Planetary Probes 1958 -- 2000 ( PDF ) . Monographs in Aerospace History , No. 24 . NASA History Office . pp. 101 -- 106 . ^ Jump up to : `` ch8 - 6 '' . solarviews.com . Retrieved 9 February 2017 . Jump up ^ `` Phobos 1 & 2 computer failures '' . Retrieved 5 August 2012 . Jump up ^ `` NASA -- NSSDCA -- Spacecraft -- Details '' . nasa.gov . Retrieved 9 February 2017 . Jump up ^ `` NASA NSSDC Master Catalog -- Spacecraft Details -- Nozomi '' . Retrieved 4 November 2013 . 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Retrieved 5 November 2013 . Jump up ^ Reporter , IBTimes Staff . `` India Successfully Launches First Mission to Mars ; PM Congratulates ISRO Team ( PHOTOS ) '' . ibtimes.co.in . Retrieved 9 February 2017 . Jump up ^ `` Mars Orbiter Mission Spacecraft -- ISRO '' . isro.gov.in . Retrieved 9 February 2017 . Jump up ^ `` Mars Orbiter Mission ( MOM , `` Mangalyaan '' ) `` . skyrocket.de . Retrieved 9 February 2017 . Jump up ^ `` With NASA Probe 's Arrival , International Mars Invasion Gets Under Way '' . nationalgeographic.com. 20 September 2016 . Retrieved 9 February 2017 . ^ Jump up to : `` MAVEN '' Spacecraft `` . colorado.edu . Retrieved 9 February 2017 . Jump up ^ esa . `` ExoMars TGO reaches Mars orbit while EDM situation under assessment '' . esa.int . Retrieved 9 February 2017 . Jump up ^ `` ESA Approves Collaborative Mars Program with NASA '' . space.com . Retrieved 9 February 2017 . ^ Jump up to : `` ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter ( TGO ) '' . esa.int . Retrieved 9 February 2017 . Jump up ^ `` El estado de ExoMars -- Astronáutica '' . naukas.com. 14 September 2014 . Retrieved 9 February 2017 . Jump up ^ Greicius , Tony ( 26 October 2016 ) . `` Further Clues to Fate of Mars Lander , Seen From Orbit '' . nasa.gov . Retrieved 9 February 2017 . Jump up ^ `` The Space Review : Why ESA 's Schiaparelli Mars can still be considered an overall success '' . thespacereview.com . Retrieved 9 February 2017 . Jump up ^ Brown , Dwayne ; DeWitt , Sarah ( 4 December 2012 ) . `` NASA Announces Robust Multi-Year Mars Program ; New Rover to Close Out Decade of New Missions '' . NASA . Retrieved 5 December 2012 . Jump up ^ China says it plans to land rover on Mars in 2020 . Shen Lu . CNN , 3 November 2015 Jump up ^ China 's 2020 Mars probe unveiled . GB Times , 3 November 2015 . ^ Jump up to : `` Mars MetNet Mission '' . Finnish Meteorological Institute . April 2012 . Retrieved 2012 - 05 - 01 . Jump up ^ `` Canadians aim to send micro-rover and lander to Mars in 2018 '' . cbc.ca . Retrieved 9 February 2017 . Jump up ^ `` Chandrayaan - II in full progress : Isro ex-chief -- The Asian Age '' . 14 February 2015 . Archived from the original on 14 February 2015 . Retrieved 9 February 2017 . Jump up ^ `` India plans another Mars mission in 2017 -- 20 '' . The Times of India . Jul 18 , 2014 . Retrieved Jul 30 , 2014 . Jump up ^ Srikanth , B.R. ( 2014 - 09 - 22 ) . `` Another Mars mission to be launched 2018 '' . The Asian Age . Archived from the original on 2014 - 10 - 08 . Jump up ^ Christopher P. McKay ; Carol R. Stoker , Brian J. Glass , Arwen I. Davé , Alfonso F. Davila , Jennifer L. Heldmann , Margarita M. Marinova , Alberto G. Fairen , Richard C. Quinn , Kris A. Zacny , Gale Paulsen , Peter H. Smith , Victor Parro , Dale T. Andersen , Michael H. Hecht , Denis Lacelle , and Wayne H. Pollard. ; Glass ; Davé ; Davila ; Heldmann ; Marinova ; Fairen ; Quinn ; Zacny ; Paulsen ; Smith ; Parro ; Andersen ; Hecht ; Lacelle ; Pollard ( April 5 , 2013 ) . `` The Icebreaker Life Mission to Mars : A Search for Biomolecular Evidence for Life '' . Astrobiology. 13 ( 4 ) : 334 -- 353 . Bibcode : 2013AsBio ... 13 ... 334M . doi : 10.1089 / ast. 2012.0878 . PMID 23560417 . Retrieved 2013 - 06 - 30 . CS1 maint : Multiple names : authors list ( link ) Jump up ^ Lee , Pascal ; Bicay , Michael ; Colapre , Anthony ; Elphic , Richard ( March 17 -- 21 , 2014 ) . Phobos And Deimos & Mars Environment ( PADME ) : A LADEE - Derived Mission to Explore Mars 's Moons and the Martian Orbital Environment ( PDF ) . 45th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference ( 2014 ) . Jump up ^ Reyes , Tim ( 1 October 2014 ) . `` Making the Case for a Mission to the Martian Moon Phobos '' . Universe Today . Retrieved 2014 - 10 - 05 . Jump up ^ griffincg.com . `` Inspiration Mars '' . Inspiration Mars . Retrieved 2013 - 09 - 22 . Jump up ^ `` JAXA 、 火星 衛星 「 フォボス 」 探査 ... 22 年 に '' . The Yomiuri Shimbun ( in Japanese ) . January 4 , 2016 . Archived from the original on January 4 , 2016 . Retrieved 2016 - 02 - 04 . Jump up ^ Miyamoto , Hirdy ( 17 March 2016 ) . `` Japanese mission of the two moons of Mars with sample return from Phobos '' ( PDF ) . NASA MEPAG . Archived from the original ( PDF ) on 16 May 2016 . Retrieved 2016 - 07 - 19 . Jump up ^ Stephen , Clark ( March 3 , 2015 ) . `` NASA eyes ion engines for Mars orbiter launching in 2022 '' . Space Flight Now . Retrieved 2015 - 03 - 05 . Jump up ^ Barraclough , Simon ; Ratcliffe , Andrew ; Buchwald , Robert ; Scheer , Heloise ; Chapuy , Marc ; Garland , Martin ( June 16 , 2014 ) . Phootprint : A European Phobos Sample Return Mission ( PDF ) . 11th International Planetary Probe Workshop . Airbus Defense and Space . Jump up ^ Koschny , Detlef ; Svedhem , Håkan ; Rebuffat , Denis ( August 2 , 2014 ) . `` Phootprint -- A Phobos sample return mission study '' . ESA . Bibcode : 2014cosp ... 40E1592K . Retrieved 2015 - 12 - 22 . Jump up ^ Rhian , Jason ( 13 May 2015 ) . `` With failures piling up , Roscosmos looking to retry Phobos - Grunt mission '' . Spaceflight Insider . Retrieved 2015 - 05 - 14 . Jump up ^ T. Satoh -- MELOS -- JAXA Archived 2013 - 02 - 16 at the Wayback Machine . source Archived 2012 - 04 - 13 at the Wayback Machine . Jump up ^ Anderson , D. et al . The Biological Oxidant and Life Detection ( BOLD ) Mission : An outline for a new mission to Mars . ( PDF ) . Retrieved on 2012 - 08 - 14 . Jump up ^ Wall , Mike ( 7 May 2012 ) . `` Space Probe Fleet Idea Would Search for Mars Life '' . Space.com . Retrieved 2012 - 05 - 10 . Jump up ^ Korean Mars Mission Design Using KSLV - III . Young - Joo Song , Sung - Moon Yoo , Eun - Seo Park , Byung - Kyo Kim . January 2006 . Jump up ^ Design Study of a Korean Mars Mission . International Journal of Aeronautical and Space Sciences Volume 5 , Issue 2 ; 2004 , pp. 54 -- 61 ; Publisher : The Korean Society for Aeronautical & Space Sciences ; DOI : 10.5139 / IJASS. 2004.5. 2.054 Jump up ^ Советский грунт с Марса ( in Russian ) . www.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru Archived November 26 , 2005 , at the Wayback Machine . Jump up ^ C. Tarrieu , `` Status of the Mars 96 Aerostat Development '' , Paper IAF - 93 - Q. 3.399 , 44th Congress of the International Astronautical Federation , 1993 . Jump up ^ P.B. de Selding , `` Planned French Balloon May Be Dropped '' , Space News , 17 -- 23 April 1995 , pp. 1 , 20 Jump up ^ `` Mars Together Update '' . nasa.gov . Retrieved 9 February 2017 . Jump up ^ `` '' Mars Together : An Update `` '' . nasa.gov . Retrieved 9 February 2017 . Jump up ^ Oliver Morton in To Mars , En Masse , pp. 1103 -- 04 , Science ( Magazine ) vol. 283 , 19 February 1999 , ISSN 0036 - 8075 Jump up ^ MIT Mars Airplane Project . Marsnews.com . Retrieved on 2012 - 08 - 14 . Jump up ^ Exploring Mars : Blowing in the Wind ? Jpl.nasa.gov ( 2001 - 08 - 10 ) . Retrieved on 2012 - 08 - 14 . Bibliography ( edit ) Mars -- A Warmer , Wetter Planet by Jeffrey S. Kargel ( published July 2004 ; ISBN 978 - 1 - 85233 - 568 - 7 ) The Compact NASA Atlas of the Solar System by Ronald Greeley and Raymond Batson ( published January 2002 ; ISBN 0 - 521 - 80633 - X ) Mars : The NASA Mission Reports / edited by Robert Godwin ( 2000 ) ISBN 1 - 896522 - 62 - 9 External links ( edit ) Wikimedia Commons has media related to Mars exploration . NASA Mars exploration website Mars Exploration Scientific American Maps and Articles Next on Mars ( Bruce Moomaw , Space Daily , 9 March 2005 ) : An extensive overview of NASA 's Mars exploration plans Catalog of Soviet Mars images Collection of Russian Mars probes ' images . Simplified study of orbits to land on Mars and return to Earth ( High School level ) Planetary Society Mars page Mars Outline of Mars Geography Atmosphere Circulation Climate Dust devil tracks Methane Regions Arabia Terra Cerberus Hemisphere Cydonia Eridania Lake Iani Chaos Olympia Undae Planum Australe Planum Boreum Quadrangles Sinus Meridiani Tempe Terra Terra Cimmeria Terra Sabaea Tharsis Undae Ultimi Scopuli Vastitas Borealis Physical Features Canyons Catenae Chaos terrain Craters Fossae Gullies Mensae Labyrinthi Mountains by height Observed rocks Outflow channels Plains Valley network Valleys Gravity Geology Brain terrain Canals ( list ) Carbonates Chaos terrain Color Composition Concentric crater fill Dark slope streak Dichotomy Fretted terrain Geysers Glaciers Groundwater Gullies Lakes Lava tubes Lobate debris apron Meteorites on Earth on Mars North Polar Basin Ocean hypothesis Ore resources Polar caps Recurring slope lineae ( RSL ) Ring mold craters Rootless cones Seasonal flows Soil Spherules Surface `` Swiss cheese '' feature Terrain softening Tharsis bulge Volcanology Water Yardangs History Amazonian Hesperian Noachian Observation history Classical albedo features Astronomy Moons Phobos Stickney crater Monolith Deimos Swift crater Voltaire crater Transits Solar eclipses on Mars Satellite transits Phobos Deimos Planetary transits Earth Venus Mercury Asteroids Mars - crossers 2007 WD 5 Trojans 5261 Eureka 1998 VF 1999 UJ 2007 NS Comets C / 2013 A1 ( Siding Spring ) ( Mars close approach , 19 Oct 2014 ) Exploration Concepts Flyby Orbiter Landing Rover Sample return Manned mission Permanent settlement Colonization Terraforming Current ExoMars orbiter lander Mangalyaan Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity observed Mars Express 2001 Mars Odyssey Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter HiRISE HiWish program Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity timeline MAVEN Past Beagle 2 Deep Space 2 Mariner program Mariner 4 Mariner 6 and 7 Mariner 9 Mars program Mars 1 Mars 2 Mars 3 Mars 4 Mars 5 Mars 6 Mars 7 Mars 96 Mars Exploration Rover Spirit observed Mars Global Surveyor MOC Mars Observer Mars Pathfinder Sojourner Mars Surveyor ' 98 program Mars Climate Orbiter Mars Polar Lander Nozomi Phobos program Phobos 1 Phobos 2 Phoenix Viking program Viking 1 Viking 2 Yinghuo - 1 Zond 2 Future Emirates Mars Mission Mars Terahertz Microsatellite ExoMars rover surface platform InSight Mars Cube One Mangalyaan 2 Mars 2020 MOXIE PIXL SHERLOC Mars Global Remote Sensing Orbiter and Small Rover MMX Proposed Robotic Icebreaker Life Mars 2022 orbiter Mars Geyser Hopper Mars - Grunt MELOS MetNet Northern Light PADME Phobos Surveyor Phootprint Human Mars Base Camp Mars Design Reference Mission Austere Human Missions to Mars Mars Direct Mars One Mars to Stay SpaceX Mars transportation infrastructure Abandoned Caves of Mars Project Mars Piloted Orbital Station Red Dragon SCIM TMK Simulations Arctic Mars Analog Svalbard Expedition Haughton -- Mars Project HI - SEAS Mars Analogue Research Station Program Euro - MARS FMARS MARS - Oz MDRS MARS - 500 Strategies Mars Scout Program Mars Exploration Program Mars Exploration Joint Initiative Mars Next Generation Advocacy The Mars Project The Case for Mars Inspiration Mars Foundation Mars Institute Mars Society ICAMSR Mars race Related Artificial objects on Mars Memorials on Mars Fiction List of films set on Mars Martian Martian scientist Mythology Phobos and Deimos in fiction Flag of Mars Life on Mars Sub-Earth Timekeeping on Mars Darian calendar Book Portal Geography and geology of Mars Cartography Regions Arabia Terra Cerberus Hemisphere Cydonia Eridania Lake Iani Chaos Olympia Undae Planum Australe Planum Boreum Quadrangles Sinus Meridiani Tempe Terra Terra Cimmeria Terra Sabaea Tharsis Undae Ultimi Scopuli Vastitas Borealis Quadrangles Aeolis Amazonis Amenthes Arabia Arcadia Argyre Casius Cebrenia Coprates Diacria Elysium Eridania Hellas Iapygia Ismenius Lacus Lunae Palus Mare Acidalium Mare Australe ( South Pole ) Mare Boreum ( North Pole ) Mare Tyrrhenum Margaritifer Sinus Memnonia Noachis Oxia Palus Phaethontis Phoenicis Lacus Sinus Sabaeus Syrtis Major Tharsis Thaumasia Geology Overview Brain terrain Canals ( list ) Carbonates Chaos terrain Color Composition Concentric crater fill Dark slope streak Dichotomy Fretted terrain Geysers Glaciers Groundwater Gullies Lakes Lava tubes Lobate debris apron North Polar Basin Ocean hypothesis Ore resources Polar caps Recurring slope lineae ( RSL ) Ring mold craters Rootless cones Seasonal flows Soil Spherules Surface `` Swiss cheese '' feature Terrain softening Tharsis bulge Water Yardangs History Amazonian Hesperian Noachian Observation history Classical albedo features Rocks observed Curiosity Bathurst Inlet Coronation Goulburn Hottah Jake Matijevic Link Rocknest Rocknest 3 Tintina Opportunity Bounce El Capitan Last Chance Sojourner Barnacle Bill Yogi Spirit Adirondack Home Plate Mimi Pot of Gold Viking Big Joe Other Face Monolith Meteorites found on Mars Block Island Heat Shield Mackinac Island Meridiani Planum Oileán Ruaidh Shelter Island Martian meteorites found on Earth Balsaltic Breccia Chassignites Nakhlites Shergottites Other List Topography Mountains and volcanoes Acidalia Colles Alba Mons Albor Tholus Anseris Mons Apollinaris Mons Arsia Mons Ascraeus Mons Astapus Colles Ausonia Montes Biblis Tholus Centauri Montes Ceraunius Tholus Charitum Montes Columbia Hills Echus Montes Elysium Elysium Mons Erebus Montes Galaxius Mons Hadriacus Mons Hellas Montes Hecates Tholus Jovis Tholus Libya Montes Mount Sharp Nereidum Montes Olympus Mons Orcus Patera Pavonis Mons Peneus Patera Phlegra Montes Pityusa Patera Syrtis Major Planum Tartarus Montes Tharsis Tharsis Montes Tharsis Tholus Tholus Tyrrhenus Mons Ulysses Tholus Uranius group Uranius Mons Uranius Tholus Volcanology By height Plains and plateaus Acidalia Planitia Aeolis Palus Amazonis Planitia Arcadia Planitia Argyre Planitia Chryse Planitia Daedalia Planum Elysium Planitia Eridania Planitia Hellas Planitia Hesperia Planum Icaria Planum Isidis Planitia Lunae Planum Meridiani Planum Oxia Planum Planum Australe Planum Boreum Syria Planum Syrtis Major Planum Utopia Planitia Canyons and valleys Aram Chaos Arsia Chasmata Aromatum Chaos Atlantis Chaos Aureum Chaos Candor Chasma Chasma Boreale Coprates Chasma Echus Chasma Eos Chaos Eos Chasma Galaxias Chaos Ganges Chasma Gorgonum Chaos Hebes Chasma Hydaspis Chaos Hydraotes Chaos Iani Chaos Ister Chaos Ius Chasma Juventae Chasma Melas Chasma Ophir Chasma Tithonium Chasma Apsus Ares Arnus Asopus Athabasca Auqakuh Bahram Buvinda Dao Enipeus Frento Harmakhis Hebrus Hrad Huo Hsing Hypanis Iberus Indus Ituxi Kasei Labou Ladon Lethe Licus Ma'adam Mad Maja Mamers Mangala Marineris Marte Mawrth Minio Naktong Nanedi Niger Nirgal Padus Paraná Patapsco Peace Rahway Ravi Reull Sabis Samara Scamander Shalbatana Simud Stura Tader Tinia Tiu Tyras Uzboi Verde Warrego Olympus Rupes Gullies Outflow channels Valley networks Fossae , mensae and labyrinthi Amenthes Fossae Ceraunius Fossae Cerberus Fossae Coloe Fossae Cyane Fossae Elysium Fossae Galaxias Fossae Hephaestus Fossae Icaria Fossae Labeatis Fossae Mangala Fossa Mareotis Fossae Medusae Fossae Memnonia Fossae Nili Fossae Olympica Fossae Oti Fossae Sirenum Fossae Tantalus Fossae Tithonium Fossae Tractus Fossae Aeolis Mensae Capri Mensa Cydonia Mensae Deuteronilus Mensae Ganges Mensa Nilosyrtis Mensae Protonilus Mensae Sacra Mensa Angustus Labyrinthus Noctis Labyrinthus Catenae and craters Artynia Catena Tithoniae Catenae Tractus Catena Adams Agassiz Airy Airy - 0 Aniak Antoniadi Arandas Argo Arkhangelsky Arrhenius Asimov Bacolor Bakhuysen Baldet Baltisk Bamberg Barabashov Barnard Beagle Becquerel Beer Belz Bernard Bianchini Boeddicker Bok Bond Bonestell Bonneville Brashear Briault Burroughs Burton Campbell Canso Cassini Caxias Cerulli Chafe Chapais Chincoteague Clark Coblentz Columbus Copernicus Corby Crewe Crivitz Crommelin Cruls Curie Da Vinci Danielson Darwin Davies Dawes Dejnev Denning Dilly Dinorwic Douglass Dromore Du Martheray Eagle Eberswalde Eddie Ejriksson Emma Dean Endeavour Endurance Erebus Escalante Eudoxus Fenagh Fesenkov Firsoff Flammarion Flaugergues Focas Fontana Fournier Fram Galdakao Gale Galle Garni Gasa Gilbert Gill Gledhill Gold Graff Green Grindavik Gusev Hadley Haldane Hale Halley Hartwig Heaviside Heimdal Heinlein Helmholtz Henry Herschel Hipparchus Holden Holmes Hooke Huggins Hussey Hutton Huxley Huygens Iazu Ibragimov Inuvik Janssen Jarry - Desloges Jeans Jezero Jezža Joly Jones Kaiser Keeler Kepler Kinkora Kipini Knobel Koga Korolev Kufra Kuiper Kunowsky Lambert Lamont Lampland Lassell Lau Le Verrier Li Fan Liais Lipik Liu Hsin Llanesco Lockyer Lod Lohse Lomonosov Lowell Lyell Lyot Mädler Magelhaens Maggini Main Mandora Maraldi Mariner Marth Martz Masursky Maunder McLaughlin McMurdo Mellish Mendel Mie Milankovic Millochau Mitchel Miyamoto Mohawk Mojave Molesworth Montevallo Moreux Müller Nansen Nereus Newton Nhill Nicholson Niesten Nipigon Onon Orson Welles Oudemans Palana Pangboche Pasteur Penticton Perepelkin Peridier Persbo Pettit Phillips Pickering Playfair Pollack Poona Porter Porth Priestley Proctor Ptolemaeus Púnsk Quenisset Rabe Radau Rahe Rayleigh Redi Renaudot Reuyl Reynolds Richardson Ritchey Robert Sharp Roddenberry Ross Rossby Rudaux Russell Rutherford Sagan Saheki Santa Maria Schaeberle Schiaparelli Schmidt Secchi Semeykin Sharonov Sibu Sinton Sitka Sklodowska Slipher Smith South Spallanzani Srīpur Steno Stokes Stoney Suess Suzhi Tarsus Taytay Teisserenc de Bort Terby Thila Thira Tikhonravov Tikhov Timbuktu Tombaugh Tooting Trouvelot Troy Trud Trumpler Tugaske Tycho Brahe Tyndall Udzha Vernal Very Victoria Vinogradov Vinogradsky Virrat Vishniac Vogel Von Kármán Wallace Wegener Weinbaum Wells Williams Winslow Wirtz Wislicenus Wright Yuty Zumba Zunil Spacecraft missions to Mars Current Orbiters ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter Mangalyaan Mars Express Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter MAVEN 2001 Mars Odyssey Rovers Curiosity timeline Opportunity observations Past Flybys Dawn Mariner 4 Mariner 6 Mariner 7 Mars 1 Mars 6 Mars 7 Nozomi Rosetta Zond 2 Orbiters Mariner 9 Mars 2 Mars 3 Mars 4 Mars 5 Mars Climate Orbiter Mars Global Surveyor Mars Observer Phobos program Phobos 1 Phobos 2 Viking program Viking 1 Viking 2 Landers Beagle 2 ExoMars Schiaparelli Mars 2 Mars 3 Mars 6 Mars 7 Mars Pathfinder Mars Polar Lander / Deep Space 2 Phoenix Viking 1 Viking 2 Rovers Prop - M Sojourner Spirit observations Special Zond 3 ( crossed Mars orbit ) Failed launch Fobos - Grunt / Yinghuo - 1 Kosmos 419 1M No. 1 1M No. 2 2MV - 4 No. 1 2MV - 3 No. 1 Mariner 3 2M No. 521 2M No. 522 Mariner 8 Mars 96 Planned InSight ( 2018 ) Mars Cube One Hope Mars Mission ( 2020 ) ExoMars ( 2020 ) rover surface platform Mars 2020 ( 2020 ) NASA Mars Helicopter Scout Mars Global Remote Sensing Orbiter and Small Rover ( 2020 ) Mars Terahertz Microsatellite ( 2020 ) Mars Orbiter Mission 2 ( 2021 or 2022 ) Psyche ( 2023 , flyby only ) MMX ( 2024 ) Proposed BOLD Icebreaker Life Inspiration Mars Mars 2022 Mars Geyser Hopper Mars - Grunt Mars Micro Orbiter  Mars One Mars sample return mission MELOS rover MetNet Northern Light PADME Phootprint SCIM Sky - Sailor Cancelled / concepts ARES Astrobiology Field Laboratory Beagle 3 Mars 4NM & 5NM Mars 5M ( Mars - 79 ) Mars - Aster Mars Astrobiology Explorer - Cacher Mars Surveyor Lander Mars Telecommunications Orbiter NetLander Red Dragon Vesta Voyager Related Colonization of Mars Exploration of Mars List of artificial objects on Mars List of Mars orbiters Mars race Terraforming of Mars indicates failure en route or before intended mission data returned . Human missions to Mars List of human Mars mission plans 21st - century proposals Aurora programme Austere Human Missions to Mars Chinese mission to Mars Constellation program Inspiration Mars Mars Base Camp Mars One Mars Piloted Orbital Station Mars to Stay SpaceX Mars transportation infrastructure Vision for Space Exploration 20th - century proposals The Mars Project Martian Piloted Complex TMK Ride Report Space Exploration Initiative Mars Direct The Case for Mars Mars Design Reference Mission 3.0 Mars analogs ( list ) MARS - 500 Mars Analogue Research Station Program FMARS MDRS Euro - MARS MARS - Oz Arctic Mars Analog Svalbard Expedition Concordia Station HI - SEAS NEEMO Advocacy Caves of Mars Project ICAMSR Mars Institute Mars Society Hardware concepts Mars habitat Crewed Mars rover Mars suit Mars Excursion Module Mars cycler Mars lander Mars rover Miscellaneous Colonization of Mars Exploration of Mars Fiction Films Novels Mars orbit rendezvous Terraforming of Mars Mars atmospheric entry Mars flyby Exploration of the Solar System Timeline of Solar System exploration Exploration of Mercury Venus Moon Mars Ceres Jupiter Saturn Uranus Neptune Pluto Artificial objects On extra-terrestrial surfaces Moon Venus Mars In space Heliocentric orbit Leaving the Solar System Lists Solar System probes Landings on extraterrestrial bodies Objects at Lagrangian points Space exploration outline timeline The Solar System The Sun Mercury Venus Earth Mars Ceres Jupiter Saturn Uranus Neptune Pluto Haumea Makemake Eris Planets Terrestrial planets Mercury Venus Earth Mars Giant planets Jupiter Saturn Uranus Neptune Dwarf planets Ceres Pluto Haumea Makemake Eris Rings Jovian Saturnian ( Rhean ) Charikloan Chironean Uranian Neptunian Haumean Moons Terrestrial Moon other near - Earth objects Martian Phobos Deimos Jovian Ganymede Callisto Io Europa all 69 Saturnian Titan Rhea Iapetus Dione Tethys Enceladus Mimas Hyperion Phoebe all 62 Uranian Titania Oberon Umbriel Ariel Miranda all 27 Neptunian Triton Proteus Nereid all 14 Plutonian Charon Nix Hydra Kerberos Styx Haumean Hiʻiaka Namaka Makemakean S / 2015 ( 136472 ) 1 Eridian Dysnomia Lists Solar System objects By size By discovery date Minor planets Gravitationally rounded objects Possible dwarf planets Natural satellites Comets Small Solar System bodies Meteoroids Minor planets moons Comets Damocloids Mercury - crossers Venus - crossers Venus trojans Near - Earth objects Earth - crossers Earth trojans Mars - crossers Mars trojans Asteroid belt Asteroids first discovered : Ceres Pallas Juno Vesta Families Notable asteroids Kirkwood gap Main - belt comets Jupiter trojans Jupiter - crossers Centaurs Saturn - crossers Uranus trojans Uranus - crossers Neptune trojans Cis - Neptunian objects Trans - Neptunian objects Neptune - crossers Plutoids Kuiper belt Plutinos Cubewanos Scattered disc Detached objects Sednoids Hills cloud Oort cloud Hypothetical objects Vulcan Vulcanoids Phaeton Planet V Theia Fifth giant Planets beyond Neptune Tyche Nemesis Planet Nine Exploration ( outline ) Discovery Astronomy Timeline Spaceflight Robotic spacecraft Human spaceflight List of crewed spacecraft Colonization List of probes Timeline Mercury Venus Moon Mars Ceres Asteroids Mining Comets Jupiter Saturn Uranus Neptune Pluto Deep space Outline of the Solar System Portals Solar System Astronomy Earth sciences Mars Jupiter Uranus Cosmology Solar System → Local Interstellar Cloud → Local Bubble → Gould Belt → Orion Arm → Milky Way → Milky Way subgroup → Local Group → Virgo Supercluster → Laniakea Supercluster → Observable universe → Universe Each arrow ( → ) may be read as `` within '' or `` part of '' . Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Exploration_of_Mars&oldid=838329489 '' Categories : Exploration of Mars Discovery and exploration of the Solar System Hidden categories : CS1 maint : Uses authors parameter Pages using citations with accessdate and no URL Webarchive template wayback links All articles with dead external links Articles with dead external links from November 2016 Articles with permanently dead external links Articles with dead external links from September 2017 CS1 maint : Multiple names : authors list CS1 Japanese - language sources ( ja ) Articles with Russian - language external links All articles with unsourced statements Articles with unsourced statements from December 2015 Articles with unsourced statements from August 2012 Pages using div col with deprecated parameters Articles containing video clips Talk Contents About Wikipedia Български Bosanski Català Čeština Español فارسی Français 한국어 Hrvatski Bahasa Indonesia Italiano ಕನ್ನಡ Latviešu Lietuvių Magyar मराठी Nederlands 日本 語 Norsk Polski Português Русский Simple English Slovenčina Slovenščina Српски / srpski Srpskohrvatski / српскохрватски Suomi Svenska Türkçe Українська Tiếng Việt 中文 25 more Edit links This page was last edited on 26 April 2018 , at 09 : 50 . 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