Mars 2

Launch Success

Liftoff Time (GMT)

16:22:44

Wednesday May 19, 1971

Mission Details

Mars 2

Wiki

The Mars 2 was an uncrewed space probe of the Mars program, a series of uncrewed Mars landers and orbiters launched by the Soviet Union beginning 19 May 1971. The Mars 2 and Mars 3 missions consisted of identical spacecraft, each with an orbiter and an attached lander. The orbiter is identical to the Venera 9 bus. The type of bus/orbiter is the 4MV. They were launched by a Proton-K heavy launch vehicle with a Blok D upper stage. The lander of Mars 2 became the first human-made object to reach the surface of Mars, although the landing system failed and the lander was lost.

Heliocentric Orbit

1 Payload

4,650 kilograms

Rocket

Retired
Proton-K/Block D

Active 1967 to 1976

Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center logo

Manufacturer

Khrunichev

Rocket

Height: 56.14m

Payload to Orbit

LEO: 18,900 kg

GTO: 9,000 kg

Liftoff Thrust

8,840 Kilonewtons

Fairing

Diameter: 3.9m

Height: 8.9m

Stages

4

Launch Site

Site 81/24

Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan

Fastest Turnaround

6 days

Stats

Proton-K


28th

Mission

3rd

Mission of 1971

Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center


580th

Mission

33rd

Mission of 1971

1971


49th

Orbital launch attempt