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Mariner 2 was the first successful spacecraft in the NASA Mariner program, which began by sending spacecraft to Venus. The Mariner 1 and 2 spacecraft were simplified versions of the Block I spacecraft of the Ranger program.

The Mariner probe consists of a 100 cm diameter hexagonal bus, to which solar panels, instrument booms, and antennae were attached. The scientific instruments onboard the Mariner spacecraft were two radiometers ( microwave and infrared) mounted on a tilting platform, a micrometeorite sensor, a solar plasma sensor, a charged particle sensor, and a magnetometer. These instruments were designed to measure the temperature distribution on the surface of Venus, as well as making basic measurements of Venus' atmopshere. Due the the thick cloud cover, no cameras were included in the Mariner units.

The Atlas-Agena rocket carrying Mariner 1 veered off-course during its launch on July 22, 1962, and the spacecraft was destroyed. A month later, the identical Mariner 2 spacecraft was launched successfully on August 27, 1962, sending it on a 3½-month flight to Venus. On the way it measured for the first time the solar wind, a constant stream of charged particles flowing outwards from the Sun. It also measured interplanetary dust, which turned out to be more scarce than predicted. In addition, Mariner 2 detected high-energy charged particles coming from the Sun, including several brief solar flares, as well as cosmic rayCosmic rays can loosely be defined as energetic particles originating outside of the Earth. The composition includes electrons, protons, neutrons, and atomic nuclei from a large region of the periodic table. The kinetic energies of these particles span ovs from outside the Solar systemA generic solar system (or planetary system consists of at least one star and various orbiting objects (such as asteroids, comets, moons, and planets). The term originated to describe the planetary system around Sol, the Latin name for our sun. The planet. As it flew by Venus on December 14December 14 is the 348th day of the year (349th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. There are 17 days remaining. Events 867 Adrian II becomes Pope 872 John VIII becomes Pope 1287 Zuider Zee sea wall collapses, killing over 50,000 people 1790 Alexand, 1962, Mariner 2 scanned the planet with its pair of radiometers, revealing that Venus has cool clouds and an extremely hot surface.

Venus spacecraft

External links

NASA-Jet Propulsion Laboratory Guide to Mariner 2

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Topics: Mariner 2, Mariner Program, Mariner 4, Mariner 9...

Mariner programThe Mariner series of spacecraft were interplanetary probes designed to investigate Mars, Venus, and Mercury. The program included a number of firsts, including the first planetary flyby, the first planetary orbiter, and the first gravity assist. Of the t	Mariner 4Mariner 4 was the next successful spacecraft in the Mariner program after Mariner 2's encounter with Venus. The project targeted Mars with two spacecraft. Mariner 3 was launched on November 5, 1964, but the shroud encasing the spacecraft atop its rocket f	Mariner 9Mariner 9 was a NASA space probe orbiter that helped in the exploration of Mars and was part of the Mariner program. Mariner 9 was launched toward Mars on May 30, 1971 and reached the planet on November 14, of the same year, becoming the first spacecraft
Mariner 2Mariner 2 was the first successful spacecraft in the NASA Mariner program, which began by sending spacecraft to Venus. The Mariner 1 and 2 spacecraft were simplified versions of the Block I spacecraft of the Ranger program. The Mariner probe consists of a	Mariner 6 and 7As part of the wider Mariner program, in 1969 Mariner 6 and Mariner 7 completed the first dual mission to Mars, flying by over the equator and south polar regions and analysing atmosphere and surface with remote sensors as well as recording and relaying h	Mariner 10Mariner 10 was the last spacecraft of the Mariner program, launched on November 3 1973. An unmanned space mission it was launched approximately 2 years after Mariner 9 and its mission was to explore Mercury and Venus. Mariner 10 made use of a " gravitatio
Mariner 1	Mariner 3	Mariner 5
Mariner 8	Mariner Mark II	Mariner Moose
Mariners Harbor, Staten Island	Mariner (disambiguation)

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