When did Mariner 4 fly by Mars?
Mariner 4 flew by Mars on the 14th and the 15th of July 1965. Its closest approach was 9,846 km from the Martian surface at 01:00:57 UT on the 15th of July 1965.
Questions about Mariner 4
Short answers, pulled from the story.
How many photographs did Mariner 4 take of Mars?
Mariner 4 captured 21 complete pictures plus 21 lines of a 22nd picture during its Mars flyby. These images covered approximately 1 percent of the planet's surface.
What did Mariner 4 discover about the Martian atmosphere?
Mariner 4 measured the Martian surface atmospheric pressure at between 4.1 and 7.0 millibars, far thinner than scientists had expected. The mission also found no magnetic field, no radiation belts, and no surface water.
How long did the Mariner 4 mission last?
Mariner 4 operated for about three years in solar orbit, far longer than the initial eight-month expectation. Communications were finally terminated on the 21st of December 1967.
How was the first digital image from Mariner 4 produced?
Before computer processing was complete, the Mariner 4 team hand-colored a numerical printout of raw pixel values using a pastel set from an art supply store, in a paint-by-numbers style. The hand-drawn result compared favorably with the final computer-processed image.
What was the total cost of the Mariner 4 mission?
The total cost of the Mariner 4 mission is estimated at $83.2 million. The full Mariner series from Mariners 1 through 10 cost approximately $554 million in total research, development, launch, and support.